News

PC manufacturer HP has taken over the IT service provider EDS. The new company has now 210.000 employees in over 80 countries. As a consequence of the takeover HP announced that it will cut more than 24.000 jobs, thereof at least 9.300 in Europe, over the next three years, which is almost 8 % of the entire workforce. It is also expected that benefits will be retrenched.



Today, trade unions and workers in HP and EDS are challenging the economic necessity of the lay offs and cut backs in terms and conditions. In letters to HP CEO Mark Hurd, union members from all over the world protest against the announced measures.



A wave of protest actions is mantling European countries with HP and EDS locations. News received so far:



· Austria – workers assembled in front of EDS headquarters in Vienna; workers and union representatives discussed with management.



· Belgium – four hours information meetings and distribution of leaflets, badges pamphlets and ball pens in different HP and EDS sites.



· France – general assembly at 10:00 am in Les Ulis in front of main HP entrance and transfer in shared cars to a big picnic at 12:00 noon in Issy Les Moulineaux in front of main EDS entrance; demonstrations in front of further HP and EDS buildings; a full or half day strike of workers of all EDS offices outside Paris in combination with general assemblies and picnics.



· Germany – workers and works council meetings during three consecutive days; joint union and works council petition and information desks at all EDS sites; call to join the next union meeting to elect bargaining committee to fight for a collective labor agreement.



· Italy - two hours strike in Rome and Napoli; flyers distributed to population; lobbying towards members of Parliament.



· Spain - rallies in front of five EDS buildings for 15 minutes.



· Sweden – unions called for information meetings and distributed leaflets and badges in different HP and EDS sites.



· Switzerland - road show at Zurich and collection of petition signatures at all sites.



· United Kingdom – mobile advertisement mounted outside some larger HP locations; badges worn in HP locations with slogan '3,378 reasons to protect your future'; lobbying towards UK Members of Parliament.



· A click and go message has been set up by UNI and EMF.



· UNI World Executive adopted resolution in support of HP/EDS employees.



Trade union and workers’ representatives will meet shortly to discuss and prepare further measures.



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The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry.



UNI-Europa is the European trade union organisation for skills and services.



For further information please contact:

Isabelle Barthès, EMF Policy Advisor on Company Policy +32(0)2 227 10 12

Gerd Rohde, UNI-Europa + 41 792 02 19 28