(Online article) – order slump as a result of the auto crisis Schaeffler forcing the embattled auto suppliers to drastic cuts. Herzogenaurach – after months of short work, which order recessions were cushioned, the Franconian company now threatens layoffs in a big way. In Germany alone, the company wants to cut around 5,000 jobs, learned the Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on Friday from business circles. Worldwide, 8000 of the total 66 000 jobs should fall away accordingly. Thus the German locations, where about 28 000 people were employed, would be disproportionately affected by the job cuts, it said. In the environment of the company pointed out however, that Schaeffler have built already around 5000 points in the past few months abroad. A company spokesman declined to comment on Friday.
With the acquisition of rival continental, Schaeffler had wore in the summer of 2008. The Franconian bearing had to make manufacturers to more than ten billion euro debt. Superimposed were Liquidity problems of massive order slump in the car industry. The company wants to inform the General Works Council at a meeting of the Economic Committee of the plans present after the dpa information next Tuesday (May 12). On Wednesday business meetings at several locations were planned then, where the supply lines, employees wanted to explain the job reduction plans. Unless protests are to be expected. Company experts fear that the authorities cancellation of this magnitude also redundancies are no longer excluded.
10 percent downsizing can a company of this magnitude still more or less socially cushion. 5000 were but 17 percent relative to Germany. At this level it doesn’t come off without redundancies”, it said. Not surprisingly, come the massive downsizing stressed corporate related stakeholders. According to figures available so far, the Schaeffler Group will his last year’s sales of around 10 billion euros to around two million euros at least. The scrapping premium, which has a breather many car manufacturers, have not fundamentally can remedy the situation by Schaeffler. That has helped some, but on last year’s result Schaeffler does not get so, it was said. The Schaeffler – Central Works Council had already indicated the day before job cuts. Given already applied short-time working everyone can figure out, that jobs at the Schaeffler Group acute at risk, the Central Works Council Chairman Norbert Lenhard had stressed. The Councils would fight redundancies with power. Lall pointed out specific policies concerning employment. Together with the IG, the Works Council have tabled proposals metal how to prevent layoffs. Schaeffler spokesman Detlef Sieverdingbeck wanted to not comment on possible job cuts plans also on Friday. Rather, he pointed to statements by Schaeffler head Jurgen M. Geissinger by Wednesday. After that did for Gala initially the dialogue and the cooperation with employee representatives a priority. Only if this is done, the corporate governance details of any personnel actions will speak publicly. The cuts have nothing to do with the continental takeover. (AP)