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The chairman of Barclays today attempted to pacify workers furious over the bank's proposals to scrap its final-salary pension scheme.
Speaking at a shareholders' meeting in the City which saw employees demonstrating against the pension moves, Marcus Agius said: “We could review the structure to alleviate their concerns.”
He said the negotiations with staff representatives were in their final week, meaning there was still time for compromises. Unite union national secretary Keith Brookes said: “If they remain intransigent as they have been then strike action becomes inevitable.”
Union members were campaigning outside Barclays' meeting at the Brewery in Chiswell Street at which shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favour of the bank's sale of its Barclays Global Investors investment management division to US fund manager Blackrock.
Shareholders with more than 99% of the bank's stock voted for the $13.5 billion (£7.9 billion) deal. Agius said the takeover was now worth $14.2 billion.
