Trade Union Unite has called on Hewlett-Packard to reverse its
decision to
cut a quarter of its UK workforce following its takeover of
EDS.
The Union says it does not want the firm to use
the merger with IT services firm EDS as a means of cutting
costs, but rather a platform to grow.
It also claimed that the company is using the UK's liberal
industrial relations laws to enable it to make the heavy cuts.
Peter Skyte, national officer at Unite, said, "This should be a
merger for growth not a merger for cuts. HP in the UK is
predominantly a services company and critically reliant on people
for this.
He added that it is unacceptable that the UK is bearing the
brunt of these global job loses. "HP/EDS are taking advantage of
the fact that it is quicker, cheaper and easier to cut jobs here
than in the rest of Europe where there is better worker
protection."
"The government's light touch approach on regulation and
employment legislation means that it is quicker, cheaper and easier
to axe jobs in the UK," said Unite.
Over one third of the total job losses are planned for the UK,
and no other country in Europe appears to be facing the severity of
the job cuts, said the Union.
The combined company has 20,000 in the UK and about 3000 cuts
are planned in the UK.
HP has offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Bracknell, Bristol,
Derby, Erskine, London and Warrington.