HP PCS Strike Postponed, Unite Walkout Occurs as Planned

Even though it wasn't able to avoid the walkout of the Unite Union members, which happened on Monday, just as it had been planned at the beginning of the month, HP managed to convince another group of unsatisfied employees, this time belonging to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) union, to postpone their strike pending a meeting scheduled for December 16.

The PCS union members are angry at the developments that occurred since Hewlett-Packard acquired EDS last year. According to the staff, 3,400 employees have been fired, with 1,000 more planned to be made redundant in the near future. In addition, the PCS union members claim that HP has imposed a pay freeze and even had its managers urge voluntary pay cuts.

The general frustration of PCS might have a more significant financial impact on the company than the walkout of the Unite members. Unlike in the latter case, where a strike, according to HP, wouldn't impact upon its customers, the PCS is currently working on an outsourcing contract with the Department for Work and Pensions, and some even work for the Ministry of Defence.

“The PCS strike was postponed yesterday pending a meeting between HP and the union on Wednesday 16 December” said the Hewlett-Packard statement. Most angry workers are apparently ex-EDS staff members who, besides being angry at the high number of redundancies, are also upset at how their pay hasn't increased during 2009, or at least set to rise during 2010.

The company wasn't able to avoid the aforementioned Unite strike, which had been announced since mid-November. Unite members have planned other strikes for January 11 and 12, and February 1 and 2, and even aim to enact a five-day walkout between February 22 and 26. PCS will also go on strike next week if talks with the company don't turn out well, with a PCS representative making a point of noting that "We're currently in negotiations. The strike may still happen next week."