by René Lavanchy
Barclays have offered sweeteners to staff affected by the decision to close their final-salary pension scheme, after the Unite union warned a strike threat was inevitable.
Chief executive John Varley wrote to staff last week to tell them that the final salary link would end in March 2010, instead of December 2009. Affected staff will also receive 5 per cent of their salary in cash. He also announced plans to pay £500 million into the pension fund to reduce a growing deficit.
The concessions come after a protest outside a shareholder meeting last week. Unite is to ballot its 25,000 Barclays members on the plans.
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