Fujitsu Services has announced plans to slash up to 1,200 jobs from its UK workforce due to "lower than anticipated" revenue.

The news comes in the same month that union Unite balloted 2,000 of its members who work for Fujitsu on possible industrial action against changes to the company's pension scheme.

Fujitsu currently employs 12,500 people in the UK and has taken numerous steps to keep down costs, such as a company-wide pay freeze, a reduction in the number of contractors and temporary workers, a retraining programme and a tightly controlled recruitment strategy.

In a statement the firm said: "Fujitsu has proposed this measure reluctantly. However, action is necessary to ensure that the company remains competitive in the current difficult global economic climate and is in a solid position for future growth when the economy starts to recover."

The proposed reductions are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Fujitsu said all affected employees would be offered "guidance and support" and a consultation process with elected employee representatives is "being established".

"Fujitsu has a strong history of consultation with employees and is committed to working with elected representatives to consider ways of achieving the necessary reductions," the company said.