News

UNI-Europa and EMF members in HP/EDS are extremely concerned about the management’s attempt to take advantage of the current crisis to undertake off-shoring to low-cost countries.



The new EWC Directive strengthens communication between EWC members and the workers they represent. HP/EDS management claims that dialogue with the EWC is indeed a priority and that it respects the applicable laws with regard to information and consultation of workers. In reality however, the workers’ representatives in the EWC cannot exercise their representative functions since they are denied the right to report back to the workers they represent. It is clear that HP/EDS management is simply paying lip service to the Directive and this is totally unacceptable to the UNI-Europa and EMF trade union representatives who gathered in Brussels recently.



HP/EDS management is not willing to develop a constructive social dialogue at European or national levels. There has been much evidence from different countries in recent weeks to show that it is only prepared to enter discussions when trade unions start taking legal steps or mobilising workers. This attitude is really regrettable and leads to frustration and anger among the European workforce.



They stress that the company’s growth is no longer geared to R&D or an innovative industrial strategy, which again puts the long-term viability of HP/EDS at stake.



UNI-Europa and EMF will again approach central management, urging it to allow workers’ representatives to effectively fulfil their duties towards the workers they represent and ensure effective information and consultation processes.



The two organisations will ask the EU Commission to investigate this case further. European trade union coordination will evidently be maintained and further protest actions will be envisaged.



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Press 28/2009



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