Pensioners and workers at port services group Smit plan to go to court over their company’s plans to cut pension payouts by 13.2% next year, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Wednesday.

The pensioners are accusing company management of maladministration because new owner Boskalis is refusing to top up the pension fund by €28m on a temporary basis.
The case will be heard by the company court in Amsterdam on December 16.
Pensioners’ lawyer Maya Kuyt-Fokkers told the Financieele Dagblad the pension fund management has put the company interest above that of pensioners and current staff for years.
She claims the management board has removed the clause requiring top-ups but continues to allow money to be taken from the fund in better economic times.
Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski was quoted as saying in the NRC last week that he had offered to top up the fund. However, Smit turned down the offer in favour of a higher payout to shareholders, the paper said.