Unite slams government manufacturing neglect as Hewlett Packard
axes 850 jobs
28th May 2009
Unite, the largest trade union in the UK, has today slammed
governments at both Westminster and Holyrood following Hewlett
Packard’s announcement to axe 850 manufacturing jobs at its
Renfrewshire plant.
Hewlett Packard staff were delivered the devastating news today
(Thursday) and told that production of storage devices and servers
are to be relocated to the Czech Republic. The global computer
giant recently announced that it would cut its global workforce of
over 320,000 by two percent, in addition to previously imposing a
five percent pay cut across all operations. This is despite a
profit of £1.1 billion in the last economic quarter.
Some 1,300 people are employed at the Renfrewshire plant, which
was originally opened by Compaq in 1987. However, following these
job cuts, only 500 technical and administrative workers are
expected to remain beyond 2010.
Unite Scottish regional secretary, John Quigley, said: “Today’s
announcement by Hewlett Packard is yet another devastating blow in
a long line of tragedies for UK manufacturing.
"In a time of recession it is widely recognised that we need
incentive and investment in our manufacturing sector to stimulate
the green shoots of economic recovery, but our governments seem
oblivious to this. Westminster offers no meaningful investment and
Holyrood doesn’t even recognise manufacturing as a key plank of its
economic plan.
"Unite has thrown the spotlight on the need for urgent, clear
assistance to defend manufacturing jobs. We have pressed for
short-term working subsidies, comparable investment in
manufacturing to our EU competitors, greater release of credit to
assist business and an overhaul of our shamefully weak redundancy
laws which make British workers the easiest to sack in the EU.
"When over £900 billion of public funds can be poured into
bailing out the banks it is utterly unacceptable that help cannot
be directed into a sector that is fundamental to nurturing our
economic revival.
"By ignoring manufacturing, we are staring into a skills and
prosperity abyss. It is now up to those in power who have neglected
this sector for so long to wake-up before it is too late.”
ENDS
For more information contact Hugh Scullion on 07768931308 or
Mark Di-Toro in the Unite press office on 07918 640 579
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