PAY PACKET PROTEST

The Occupy protesters in London campaigning against fat cat directors had one of plumpest pay packets in their sights in November last year.

During the large scale public sector strikes which hit the UK capital in November around 60 Occupy London protesters left the St Pauls Cathedral camp and raided Xstrata’s offices in the Haymarket building and stampeded onto the roof to hang up posters and banners and generally occupy the space.

Their main target was Xstrata chief executive Mick Davis who the group felt was worth annoying as he was the highest paid chief executive of the FTSE 100 companies over the previous year and had just received a 49 per cent pay increase.

Unfortunately for the “99 per centers”, Mr Davis’ office was locked so they went to shout their message from the rooftops instead.

“When his companies had losses and the economy collapsed, he received ($28.3 million) for his efforts,” an Occupy spokesman told reporters.

Occupy London supporter Karen Lincoln said the Xstrata big cheese was the ideal target.

“Mick Davis is a prime example of the greedy 1 per cent, lining their own pockets while denying workers pensions,” she said.

“In this time when the government enforces austerity on the 99 per cent, these executives are profiting.

“We refuse to stand by and let this happen. We call on others to join us in the fight for a more just society. Today we have taken this to one of the offices of the 1 per cent.”

The response from an Xstrata spokeswoman was disappointingly dry given the high emotions of the day.

“Xstrata confirms that a number of protesters have attempted to enter the company's offices in central London,” she told reporters.

“All executive pay is approved by the company's shareholders and is linked to company and individual performance.”