General Electric limits job cuts in Switzerland

The American industrial conglomerate General Electric has announced a reduction in the number of planned layoffs at its subsidiaries in Switzerland.

The company said a maximum of 200 people would lose their jobs at two of its sites west of Zurich. In June it had announced a figure of some 450.

GE Switzerland said it was willing to help its staff find new jobs, the company said in a statement published on Monday.

However, trade unions argue that many people have already quit GE Switzerland and that the company only agreed to the granting of some concessions following intervention by the labour groups.

The unions say they are concerned that GE will continue its restructuring plans in Europe and the Swiss company sites could still be at risk. The production of gas turbines is under particular pressure, they say.

GE Switzerland has already shed about 2,000 jobs since 2016 and will employ some 2,700 after the latest round of restructuring.

In 2014 GE Switzerland took over the energy division of the French industrial group Alstom. Two years later it slashed 1,200 jobs.