News Article
SEZ criticised for redundancy shortfall
Wet wafer surface preparation equipment provider SEZ, now part of the LAM group, has confirmed that another 60 jobs will be lost. The arbitration commission of the Austrian county of Kärnten heavily criticised the redundancy packages the company is offering.
According to Austrian media, SEZ has confirmed the loss of another 60 jobs through to February 2009. The arbitration commission in Kärnten described the offered redundancy package, called the 'social plan', as a mockery and way below usual offerings in the region.
What has been offered in the social plan is a final month’s wage, remission of training payments and negative working hours as well as psychological support appears to the president of the arbitration commission, Mr. Günther Goach, as a mockery.
Goach described the redundancy package offered by the LAM group through the Austrian SEZ site as a poor return for long time workers of the company. The jobs cuts are planned between 15th January and 13th February 2009.
“This redundancy package is light years away of what normally would be paid in such cases.” says Goach.
SEZ was taken over by LAM Research in January 2008. SEZ is no longer registered at the Swiss stock exchange since June 2008. SEZ suffered a loss of approximately 3.3 million Swiss Francs in 2007. Due to these losses, SEZ closed down its Japan based laboratory. SEZ's turnover in 2007 dropped to 392 million Swiss Francs that is a loss of 15.6%.
SEZ has no employee representation and hence no legal obligation to a social plan. Never the less, the arbitration commission urges the board of directors to supply a fair redundancy and release more money for the relevant individuals. Since the LAM takeover SEZ has already made at least 50 people redundant so far this year.
What has been offered in the social plan is a final month’s wage, remission of training payments and negative working hours as well as psychological support appears to the president of the arbitration commission, Mr. Günther Goach, as a mockery.
Goach described the redundancy package offered by the LAM group through the Austrian SEZ site as a poor return for long time workers of the company. The jobs cuts are planned between 15th January and 13th February 2009.
“This redundancy package is light years away of what normally would be paid in such cases.” says Goach.
SEZ was taken over by LAM Research in January 2008. SEZ is no longer registered at the Swiss stock exchange since June 2008. SEZ suffered a loss of approximately 3.3 million Swiss Francs in 2007. Due to these losses, SEZ closed down its Japan based laboratory. SEZ's turnover in 2007 dropped to 392 million Swiss Francs that is a loss of 15.6%.
SEZ has no employee representation and hence no legal obligation to a social plan. Never the less, the arbitration commission urges the board of directors to supply a fair redundancy and release more money for the relevant individuals. Since the LAM takeover SEZ has already made at least 50 people redundant so far this year.
