HP to cut over 3,300 UK jobs

After HP acquired Electronic Data Systems (EDS), it was announced that some 24,600 jobs would be axed worldwide.

Now, the figures are coming into perspective as more jobs from the UK and from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will be cut."HP expects that the number of positions impacted for the UK is up to 3,378," said HP in an emailed statement.

"HP expects the Workforce Management exercise in EMEA to affect approximately 9,300 employees over a two-year period, with roughly half of these positions replaced to create a global workforce that has the right blend of services and delivery capabilities to address the diversity of its EMEA markets and customers."

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) - of which more than 2,000 EDS staff are a part of - said they "vigorously oppose" the plan to axe one fifth of EDS jobs in the UK.

"This announcement creates further uncertainty with little or no detail of where the axe will fall and comes as a huge blow to the workforce in a time of economic turmoil," PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said.

EDS has contracts with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Serwotka added: "Our concerns about government IT contracts in the MoD and DWP will not be alleviated by this announcement. It's not just jobs that are at risk, but the delivery of public services that rely on IT services provided by the former EDS."