An Ayrshire-based campaigner who is battling a tech giant over what she claims is a pensions ‘injustice,’ has written to the niece of former US President John F. Kennedy in a bid to highlight the story Stateside.
Pat Kennedy, from Coylton, has written to her namesake, Kerry Kennedy, after her father’s organisation, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) organisation, bestowed an honour to the chief executive at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
The honour was called the ‘Ripple of Hope’ Award and recognises leaders who work to advance human rights, equity, and justice.
This year’s award was bestowed on Antonio Neri, the CE at HPE.
However, HPE is at the centre of a pensions controversy that potentially affects around 1500 former employees of HPE in Ayrshire- and 6000 HPE people across the UK.
And Pat said she felt “heartsick” when Neri was bestowed the honour.
Pat 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 the value of the pensions which are supposed to provide financial security.
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 2015, Hewlett Packard split, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise took over responsibility for the Digital pension scheme.
And it is estimated that around 1,500 people across the region could be affected by what campaigners claim are ‘massively reduced’ pensions.
So with the news that a corporate leader of the company won the Ripple of Hope award, Pat said she felt compelled to write to RFK’s daughter, who is the president of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) organisation.
As a girl Pat not only met JFK, but RFK, as well as Edward Kennedy, the former US Senator, retaining RFK’s autograph as a memento.
She said in her letter to Kerry Kennedy: “After reading about the Ripple of Hope award that was recently presented to Antonio Neri, HPE CEO, I was heartsick and am compelled to write.
“I met your father, Robert F. Kennedy, on 16 October 1965 just after my 14th birthday. Your father asked my name and since I too am a Kennedy, we had a lovely little chat about how many children were in my family and my plans for my future. On other occasions, I also was fortunate to meet your uncles, John and Edward.”
The letter goes on: “I was young in the 60s and it was time of hope for positive change along many dimensions from racial equality to the exploration of space. RFK and JFK were the inspiring voices of that era. Their voices, and those of the Church, shaped the aim of my life to make a positive difference in the world.
“Now I am a pensioner without pension protection in the UK. I am the co-chair of the HPPA (Hewlett Packard Pensioners Association) who for more than a decade have been trying to influence HPE to provide indexation for their Pre 1997 pensioners.
“Pension indexation did not become required until 1997. Most UK companies, about 80 per cent, with Defined Benefits pensions, give annual increases to pre-1997 pensioners. About 20 per cent do not and that includes HPE.
“HPE rebuffs pleas by stating that their actions meet legal requirements and dispute our comments about their ethics.
“There are 6000 pensioners who have lost most of the value of their pension as over the past 22 years while HPE has given only three discretionary increases (1%, 1%, 3%) to help their Pre 1997 pensioners cope with inflation.
“HPPA wrote to Antonio Neri in January 2022 to appeal to him directly to intervene. Questions were submitted from UK pensioners/shareholders to the 2024 Annual Shareholders Meeting. We communicate through the Trustee as the required channel. However, the situation remains unchanged while other companies like IBM have collaborated with pensioners to find a solution.”
And Pat’s letter adds: “Perhaps, now that you have met Mr Neri, would you share my letter with him and create a “ripple of hope” for us? He does not seem to accept our mail.”
HPE previously stated they were “committed” to satisfying all of its responsibilities to both current and former team members.
A spokesperson added: “Each year we carefully consider whether to grant discretionary increases to relevant pensioners, based on a number of factors. HPE UK is keenly aware that our decisions impact our pensioners, as well as current team members. HPE UK will continue to act in good faith.”
HPE has been contacted for an updated response.
Meanwhile, campaigners, along with Ayrshire MPs Alan Gemmell, Elaine Stewart, Lillian Jones, and Irene Campbell, are preparing to meet UK Government Ministers later this month as they discuss the pensions issue at Westminster.
Pat added: “We are not asking the government to change the law or for compensation but for their support to influence change from HPE and the other companies to “do the right thing” regarding the treatment of Pre 1997 pensioners.
“There is zero cost to taxpayers. Pensioners are more likely to spend any money they receive so this money will flow back into the local and national economy.”