News

Last Thursday (November 13^th), more than 8’000 people participated in the European action day organized by UNI and the EMF to protest against layoffs and a worsening of working conditions due to the takeover of EDS by HP.



In Austria, about 70% of the workers assembled in the EDS headquarters in Vienna and asked new HP management how they will be affected by the takeover, but no precise reply has been obtained so far.



In Belgium, personnel meetings attended by 700 employees took place during working hours at EDS Mechelen and EDS Antwerp. Very positive reactions were reported after the meetings. There has also been a distribution of leaflets, badges pamphlets and ball pens to over 1000 workplaces in different HP and EDS sites.



In France, workers from the whole country gathered in Paris for a big picnic during a two hours strike in front of EDS site at Issy Les Moulineaux while other demonstrations in front of HP and EDS buildings happened. In total, more than a third of the French workforce of HP-EDS participated in these actions with an equal participation of employees from HP and from EDS. A joint press release has been drafted together by six unions and a blog has been created to keep people updated on HP/EDS future developments.



In Germany, a three days works council meeting took place. Management declared that the economic situation of EDS Germany is stable with expected growth for 2009 but was unable to tell employees in which areas dismissals should happen. Works council called to join the next union meeting to elect a bargaining committee in order to negotiate a collective labor agreement. On top of that, a joint union and works council petition signed by 99% of people contacted has been sent to management.



A two hours strike with flyers distribution took place in Rome and Naples, Italy. Lobbying initiatives towards members of Parliament asking the Municipality to stop buying HP products also happened.



In Spain, workers from all companies of the group have taken part in rallies in front of five EDS buildings for fifteen minutes.



In Sweden, unions ran information meetings with 780 employees during working hours and distributed leaflets and badges in different HP and EDS sites.



In Switzerland, a road show has been organized in Zurich and over 350 petition signatures (or 99.5% of employees contacted) were collected at all sites (Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne). Employees’ reactions were reported to be very positive.



A mobile advertisement has been mounted outside four of the larger HP locations in the UK. In addition, Union’s members wore badges in HP workplaces and posters were set up. Senior activists also met with UK Members of Parliament.



It has also to be said that Danish Works Council’s employee representatives submitted a request to send out a petition to EDS employees in Denmark but management didn’t answer.



Finally, unions in Hungary informed employees about EWC activities and events in other countries and placed solidarity declarations onto message boards on every main location’s floor and on the trade union's infocentre page.

At a global level, a letter has been sent to HP CEO Mark Hurd in which union members from all over the world protested against the announced measures and questioned the economic necessity of the 24.000 job cuts (of which 9330 are expected in Europe) over the next three years, which is almost 8 % of the entire workforce.

Although the PC manufacturer declares in its Global Citizenship statement that “Our efforts include supporting human and labor rights, making strategic social investments” the response from the HP Vice President of Human Resources to the UNI/EMF letter to Mr. Hurd consisted of a single paragraph saying the company is consulting with EWC and union representatives “in accordance to the law”.

Unite's mobile ad in front of HP UK Headquarters in Bracknell





German protesters who sent a petition to German management







CFTC banner during the French protest

To conclude it has to be reminded that this very successful action day has received a lot of media attention throughout Europe and India. Please find some links below:



Europeans protest against HP layoffs



Mobilisation des salariés européens de HP contre un plan social "financier" - intervention Michel Soumet



Les salariés de HP-EDS se mobilisent dans toute l'Europe



Manifestation chez Hewlett-Packard : Une journée d'action européenne



Mouvement social européen chez Hewlett-Packard / EDS



Mobilisation des salariés européens de HP contre un plan social "financier"



Il s'agit de protester contre les 9.330 suppressions de postes annoncés



Succès de la mobilisation des salariés HP-EDS



Mobilisation des salariés européens de HP contre un plan social "financier"