News

A multinational IT firm's plan to move hundreds of jobs out of the north west could be frustrated after Public and Commercial Services union members voted to take industrial action.
 
The union, which represents 70% of the Hewlett Packard staff at sites in Lytham and Warrington, is opposed to the company shifting 400 jobs from the region as part of cuts of 33,000 to its global workforce around the world.
 
HP is centralising work at two sites in the north east and Scotland and the vast majority will not be open to redeployment or relocation for the north west staff who work on contracts for the Department for Work and Pensions and Ministry of Justice.
 
The union's members have voted by 83% to take industrial action, not including strike action, that will involve refusing to cooperate with what is known as the 'knowledge transfer' – the process required to move the work.
 
PCS industrial officer Peter Olech said: "Staff not only fear for their jobs and livelihoods but are incredibly worried about the damaging effect of taking hundreds of jobs out of the north west economy.
 
"We hope Hewlett Packard recognises the strength of feeling and serious issues at stake and comes back to the table to talk to us constructively about protecting jobs and our communities."