UNILEVER workers from Merseyside are expected to join colleagues from around the country at their company’s London HQ as they continue to demonstrate over pension reforms.

The move comes as workers at the consumer goods giant prepare to stage a series of strikes in a huge escalation of the pensions row.

Leaders of three trade unions opted to call strikes for up to 12 days starting on January 17.

Thousands of employees will be involved at sites across the country – including Port Sunlight, in Wirral, and Warrington.

The unions claimed the industrial action will hit production of goods including Marmite and PG Tips.

The union, Unite, said their members will lose out to the tune of 20 to 40% if the company presses ahead with changes to their pensions.

Last December, Unilever's UK workforce embarked on their first- ever strike action over the company's plan to switch the pensions of its 7,000 strong workforce from a final salary scheme to a poorer career average one from July 1, 2012.

The union also claimed in the last financial year, according to figures from Pensions Investment Research Consultants Ltd (PIRC), Unilever CEO Paul Polman received a total remuneration of 54,236,511 euros and the company's end of year figures, due in February, were likely to show continued strong performance.

The mood was further darkened when Unilever halted Christmas parties across the business as a punishment for last month's strike action.

In a bid to force the company to think again, Unilever workers will be heading to the capital tomorrow in a Unite “battle bus”.

It will be emblazoned with the warning: “Unilever – not as clean as you think; mega profits but pensions snatchers!".

Speaking ahead of the event, Unite national officer Jennie Formby said: “Our members have dedicated their time and hard work to help Unilever build leading brands – it is their hard graft which helps ensure that every six seconds someone, somewhere on this planet buys a Unilever product.

“Our message to CEO Paul Polman is that he must listen to his workforce.

“This pension dispute can be solved – but damage to Unilever's reputation may last for good.”