Revolution in the house of the Swiss company: Jobs in traditional production, coordination and development will be eliminated in the next 18 months. At the same time, it will create another 350 in the field of high technology
Of Aboutpharma Online editorial staff – May 19, 2017 – Aboutpharma
Pharmaceutical group Novartis has announced plans to cut 500 jobs in Basel over the next year in traditional manufacturing, coordination and development. At the same time, it will create another 350 in the field of high technology. The revolution that will materialize in the next 18 months is part of the company's transformation program into an integrated operating model, which aims to stimulate innovation and improve the effectiveness of activities around the world.
The company gave some details but said it would close two former production sites: one at the Basel campus and another in Schweizerhalle, also in Basel. Part of the works will be transferred to India. The Swiss union Unia commented underlining the seriousness of the news for the country, especially given the positive economic situation of Novartis and invited the company to rethink the decision. Unia also stated that the restructuring measure affects 162 manufacturing jobs, 109 development jobs and 117 pharmaceutical management roles. It also affects 105 finance, recruiting, IT, sales and infrastructure jobs.
Novartis has announced that it has initiated a process of dialogue and consultation with unions to offer assistance to affected employees. Part of them will be reabsorbed and transferred while some will disappear completely: an employment office will in fact be committed to supporting them for a new placement within or outside the group. There will also be a social plan and an early and voluntary retirement scheme. The 350 jobs that the pharmaceutical giant plans to create at the same time as the workforce reduction in Basel mainly concern the development and production of innovative biotechnological medicines.
