HP to axe 934 more UK jobs

Unite union predicts "another 1,000 jobs to go in next financial year"

HP to cut further 934 UK jobs

HP has made an internal announcement that 934 jobs will be axed from its UK workforce by October.

The Unite union, which represents many of the workers in the firing line, said in a statement on its web site: "This is a further cull by HP of its skilled and experienced UK workforce, and follows nearly 4,000 jobs being cut over the past two years since the takeover of EDS by HP."

As well as condemning the announcement, Unite predicted another "1,000 job cuts in the UK in the next financial year, as part of the company’s global announcement of 9,000 job cuts worldwide".

Unite's view is that the decision "conflicts with the government view that the private sector will fuel job growth out of the economic recession".

"The fact that the company still retains nearly 2,000 temporary staff and contractors merely adds insult to injury,” said Unite national officer Peter Skyte.

In a statement, an HP spokesman said the company was consulting "with the appropriate representative bodies within the UK regarding potential workforce changes".