WORKERS at food and detergent giant Unilever are going on strike because of a row over pensions.

About 200 staff at the firm's Purfleet factory are taking industrial action on Friday to try to persuade their employer to halt plans to scrap its final salary pension scheme for its 7,000-strong workforce.

They will form picket lines and wave banners outside the plant in London Road throughout the day.

The Unite union members going on strike form more than half of the site's workforce of about 300 staff.

They will join their fellow Unite colleagues at 11 other Unilever other sites across the UK in industrial action.

The strike follows Unilever, which produces products including Flora, Persil and Marmite, announcing plans to amend its final-salary pension scheme next year.

It instead wants to move workers onto a career-average scheme.

Jeff Usher, regional officer for Unite, said: "This means that people's pensions will probably be worth about half their present value.

"People are very angry, especially those who were planning to retire.

"One of the reasons many of them have worked at Unilever is because it has had a good pension scheme.

"Now the company has decided to change that even though it's profitable."

Unite, GMB and Usdaw unions have engaged in talks with Unilever bosses over other ways to reduce costs, but last month (NOV) members balloted for action.

This included 85 per cent of Unite's Unilever members.

Further industrial action could be repeated at the factory next year, according to Mr Usher.

A spokeswoman for Unilever said: “We have had plenty of time to prepare for this industrial action so our customers and consumers can rest assured our brands will be available as usual.”