HP 'agrees to help' job axe staff

Hewlett-Packard has agreed to work with the Scottish Government in finding new job or retraining opportunities for 700 workers it is to axe in Renfrewshire.

The electronics giant said on Thursday it planned to close manufacturing operations at its Erskine plant and transfer work to the Czech Republic.

Finance Secretary John Swinney has met management and staff.

He said everything possible would be done to "mitigate the impact" of the job losses.

"The company agreed this morning to cooperate in efforts to help find new job or retraining opportunities"
John Swinney
Finance Secretary

Following the meeting, Mr Swinney said: "The Scottish Government made clear that it would work to look for alternative business opportunities for the affected parts of the site.

"And we will start work immediately on helping each and everyone of the staff who face losing their jobs.

"The quality of the workforce here in Erskine is beyond doubt.

"Importantly the company agreed this morning to co-operate in efforts to help find new job or retraining opportunities for staff affected by yesterday's announcement."

About 1,300 people are employed by Hewlett-Packard in Erskine and it is understood 600 will remain at the site.

The Erskine plant was opened in 1987 by Compaq and was taken over by Hewlett-Packard in 2002. At one stage 2,500 people were employed on the site.

Most of the workers still at the Erskine plant are agency staff, employed by outside organisations such as Manpower.

In January, the company said it was cutting its night shift with the loss of 153 jobs.</p

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