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Unite brands HP's job cuts 'butchery'

11 October 2010

Unite, Britain's biggest union, has branded HP's decision to cut a further 1,300 jobs in the UK as "butchery".

The cuts come on top of the 900 job losses announced in June to take place by the end of October, and follows nearly 4,000 jobs axed by the company throughout the UK over the past two years bringing the total number of job cuts up to more than 6,000.

These cuts bring into question the government’s assumption that the high tech private sector will be the motor for growth and new jobs in the UK.

These job cuts mainly involve the export of jobs to HP locations outside the UK.

The latest quarterly financial results for HP published in August show that the company increased its revenues by 11 per cent and operating profit by 14 per cent and is on track to make nearly $130 billion in revenues this year.

Unite has also learned from a sister union - Unites of India - that IT workers there have launched a campaign for decency at work in response to pay and benefits cuts leading to increased stress.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer, said: "Despite significant profits HP appears hell-bent on continuing to butcher its highly skilled UK workforce.

"It is increasingly difficult for HP employees in the UK to plan for their futures when the threat of redundancy is continually hanging over their heads. Morale is at an all time low.

"Lax employment protection in the UK compared to other European countries means that the UK is bearing the brunt of cuts, as it's quicker and cheaper to sack UK people and export their jobs abroad.

"Our sister union in India, Unites, is reporting that IT employees in India are complaining about the stress caused by tremendous pressure to live up to unreasonable targets and deadlines.

"On the evidence of these cuts, the UK government’s belief that the high tech private sector will be the motor for growth and new jobs is largely a mirage.”

ENDS

Contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Notes to editors:

The principal HP locations in the UK are Belfast, Bracknell, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Erskine (Scotland), Hook (Hampshire), London, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Peterlee, Sheffield, Uxbridge, Warrington and Washington.