“There is great fear among the delegation about how things are going now,” labour minister Georges Mischo told RTL, after meeting with the Amazon staff delegation on Monday morning.
The US company told the minister on Friday that laying off 470 people would be the “worst case” scenario. However, members of the personnel delegation fear that “up to 470" positions that will be cut are not yet confirmed and could be the tip of the iceberg.
Mischo said: “They think it will be more than 470 people, that perhaps there will be another wave of cuts in a few months. It was a very, very difficult meeting this morning, when you consider that these are people being laid off with Christmas just around the corner. The negotiations started on Monday at 3pm between the staff delegation and their lawyer, and with Amazon management. The plan is to conclude these discussions by 15 December.”
The minister is insistent that the National Employment Agency (ADEM) should receive staff profiles from the people being let go as soon as possible. He added that a special job day could be organised for the people affected by the Amazon cuts, and if necessary the conjectures committee could schedule a special meeting. At any rate, Mischo said he could guarantee that the ministry and ADEM would be ready to support the affected employees and to help orient them towards new roles.
