Employees of HP and EDS have been demonstrating outside company offices across Europe today in protest at plans to cut 3,400 staff following the merger of the two suppliers.

Members of the Unite trade union took part in protests in London and Bristol as part of a European day of action also targeting sites in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

HP has said the redundancies have been caused by eliminating duplicated roles, but Unite claimed the move was “short term slash and burn indiscriminate cost cutting.”

"This is not about the credit crunch taking its toll again,” said Unite national officer Peter Skyte.

“HP/EDS is cutting a quarter of the UK workforce because this already rich company wants to increase its profits by indiscriminately cost cutting.”