An Ayrshire woman waging a campaign against tech giants Hewlett Packard over what she claims is a pensions ‘scandal’, is organising a meeting for those who may be affected too.
Patricia Kennedy, from Coylton, has fought a long-standing battle with former employer Hewlett Packard Enterprise in bid to force the company to bump up discretionary pension contributions.
Patricia is a member of the HPPA (Hewlett Packard Pension Association (UK) who say they have faced ‘significant hardship’ over the last two decades due to changes in their pension plans.
The group claim they possess massively-reduced pensions from their pre-1997 contributions, because current legislation only index-links contributions from 1997.
And they want the tech giants to ‘make good’ on their contributions to the scheme.
In Ayrshire, the issue has a direct bearing on the former employees of UK Digital Equipment Corporation.
The firm employed people at their plant at Mosshill Industrial Estate, Ayr, between 1977 and 2002 – until it was wound down by new owners Hewlett Packard. In 1998, Digital Equipment merged with Compaq, and in 2001 that organisation, in turn, merged with Hewlett Packard.
In 2017 Hewlett Packard split, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise took over responsibility for the Digital pension scheme.
And it is estimated that around 1500 people across the region could be affected by what campaigners claim are ‘massively reduced’ pensions.
Now a meeting is to be scheduled for Saturday, November 23, at Prestwick Community Centre in Caerlaverock Road, for those who want to join the crusade.
In a direct appeal to former Digital employees in Ayrshire, Patricia said: “The meeting will focus on the Pension Justice Campaign for Pre-97 pensioners from Digital/Compaq/HPE. Find out what has happened and what is planned.”
She added: “The meeting will also be a chance to reconnect with colleagues and friends.”
Organisers say they will not be providing refreshments at the meeting but hope to have a coffee van on site.
To register your interest in attending e-mail Patricia at [email protected]
The meeting will run from 10am to 12noon.