After General Electric acquired the French company Alstom in November, it has now announced a restructuring plan for the company, which means the layoff of 6,500 workers. Unfortunately, this also means layoffs for employees at the Alstom Croatia branch.
A total of 136 engineers, as well as around a hundred skilled workers and employees with higher education qualifications, will receive termination notices.
– In Croatia, the restructuring proposal could affect 229 employees. However, most of the proposed restructuring in Europe will take place outside the Central and Eastern Europe region and Croatia. Before finalizing any proposal and its readiness for implementation, we will consult with representatives of our employees. Throughout the process, we are committed to close and constructive cooperation with employee representatives, both at the European level and in Croatia, in order to minimize the social impact of these extremely necessary projects, stated General Electric in a press release.
The statement notes that General Electric continues to invest in industrial facilities in the Central and Eastern Europe region to support growth-related goals and that they are “confident in the long-term business of the company in Croatia.” The restructuring proposed at the global level and in Croatia is designed to create the most efficient operation, ensure sustainable business, and provide the best possible experience for clients.
It is worth noting that within the Alstom Group, the Karlovac facility, after significant and ongoing investments in both machinery and engineering staff, has gained the status of a service center for steam turbine blades on a global level in Alstom’s energy market. Such orientation was the result of a longer-term business strategy, which clearly does not fit into GE’s global strategy and division of labor.
