Great Britain: it is Unilever’s turn to close its retirement plan based on final salaries

The Anglo Dutch giant announced the closing of its retirement scheme indexed on final salaries for those who will integrate the company after 2008. With 7,000 employees, 40,000 pensioners and 40,000 former employees still active, Unilever's scheme was the last significant one still in effect. This decision is going along with the tendency, practiced by most of the companies which used to follow it, to end this kind of plan. (Ref. 070195)
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This type of retirement scheme is an endangered species. According to a report by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF), published on February 21, 67% of private companies now closed this type of funds (final salary or defined benefits pension schemes) to their new employees. This trend accelerated last year, when one company out of ten chose this measure in a 12-month period. Many funds are in deficit, and employers are anticipating the extension of life span. Currently, 66% of comp

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