In recent days I have read about the umpteenth measures taken by pharmaceutical companies in our sector. The news reported on the various sites is alarming and often, if it does not affect entire families, even comparable to a joke in bad taste.
However, let's proceed calmly and methodically, helping ourselves with the news in our possession thanks to the internet.
On 29 January 2009, the CEO of Astra Zeneca in an interview with Il Sole 24 Ore stated: “ «Painful but necessary cuts», thus Nicola Braggio, the new CEO and president of AstraZeneca Italia, comments on the recent layoffs announced by the pharmaceutical company. Also in Italy. In all, about 15,000 fewer jobs (in Italy there will be 257) which, compared to 2008 closed with growth in worldwide revenues of 3% (at constant exchange rates) and an increase in EPS of 8% to 5.10 dollars, may seem unjustified. Of course, it will be said: in the last quarter profits fell by 1.4 percent. Of course, in the Peninsula, for the whole of 2008, sales fell by 5% compared to 2007. Of course, for 2009 the company expects sales to stagnate globally.”
And further down in the interview with Vittorio Carlini he continues: “So it was necessary, and I say this with great regret, having to quickly start a reorganization of our structure. Which, inevitably, must become leaner and more flexible. We have reached an agreement with the union for the mobility of 257 people. Most of these are part of the sales network, the remainder are in the administrative sector. Do you have other cuts in mind? At present no. I can say that, if the times foreseen for the arrival of the new molecules are respected and the current trend does not worsen further, there will be no other interventions of this type.
Evidently the memory of some managers in the sector must be short or certain assessments and statements change with great speed leaving in the mouth the bitter suspicion that at the moment the management of the pharmaceutical industry is in the most complete ball and without any serious idea or future planning.
In fact, the news of another mobility of 41 other job positions in this company raises a lot of doubts and fears.
– Why in the space of a few months the same company must provide 2 consecutive mobility?
– Are the union and the RSU of the company aware of an industrial plan or, as always, are they groping in absolute darkness?
– After this total cut of about 300 work units, what else can we expect? A new sale of a company branch? A CIGS?
I would love an answer to these questions, but as always we will read the usual proclamations on all the journalistic interviews and we will have to make our own considerations.
Leander Clean
19.03.2010
