Letter to Matt Harris (New HPE M.D.)

Hello Matt,

Congratulations on your recent promotion.

Let me introduce myself – I am chair of the Hewlett Packard Pensioners Association (HPPA), a body representing the interests of retired HP employees and a former HR Director with DEC, Compaq, HP and an ex-Chair of the Digital Pension Plan Trustees.

I am sure you will appreciate that the company decision regarding discretionary pensions payments has not been well received. Your pensioners are in shock, disbelief and very angry – and the UK Management Team should be embarrassed and ashamed at the one-line communication sent to pensioners.

Your decision this year has evaporated the goodwill and confidence we expressed last year in the company and Trustees beginning to work better together. We were clearly naïve in expressing such optimism.

I would hope that when you became UK MD you were informed of our past efforts to persuade the company to grant regular discretionary increases to pensioners, including the attached presentation we shared last year with Marc Waters and the Trustee. This particular document was the culmination of extensive “papers” over the past two years asking the company and Trustee to work more effectively together. The appendix includes sample testimonies from our members. After reading these testimonies I am sure you will appreciate the plight of former HP employees.

We are compelled to repeat the words of Antonio Neri: “Ethics is everyone’s business…that ethics has at its core: “treating others as you would want to be treated yourself”…that the company commitment to ethics is holistic and ingrained in HPE’s values and culture – in the workplace and beyond”. Unfortunately – these words once again ring hollow to us.

Instead of aligning ourselves with the words of Antonio Neri it seems more appropriate to re-align with the words of Steve Jobs : “We are here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here”.

While voicing our grievance we have focused on facilitating dialogue and constructive solutions – however – company decisions and circumstances are now driving us to re-think our methods in achieving our mission.

Put yourself in the shoes of an ageing Digital pensioner who retired 20 years ago, Now aged 85, approaching the end of their life and has seen the value of their pension gradually declining towards zero. Their pension has increased by a measly 5% while inflation has risen by well over 65%. To cap it all – on top of receiving no increase this year they are sent a one-line stone-hearted statement from the company and a letter from the Trustee that begins with: “The pension you have with the Plan increases each year in line with inflation”. Are younger. recently retired, Digital pensioners destined to a similar fate? What would you do if you were facing this situation?

I appeal to you to give us the opportunity to meet with you and Paul Early to help us understand the company position and be given the opportunity to put forward our perspective and case for change – I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Alan Evans and the HPPA team