The pharmaceutical group Merck Serono has not followed up on the request for mediation from the Geneva State Council, but has decided to join the "task force" created by the cantonal and federal authorities, while excluding a renegotiation of the social plan.
"We did not follow up because the company took a definitive decision" last week, the chairman of the board of directors of the German group François Naef told the ATS today. On Thursday, the Geneva state councilor François Longchamp had proposed mediation between the company's staff and the management and the Unia union agreed. The staff had therefore suspended the strike.
"Mediation is not necessary as we have offered to continue the dialogue with the former personnel commission for the implementation of the restructuring plan," added Naef, underlining that the management excludes re-discussing the social plan, which is the main claim of a part of the employees.
"We are ready to participate in the task force in the search for solutions external to Merck Serono, with our fund of 30 million and study all the possibilities for a relocation", said the chairman of the board. Approximately 130 employees will retire early and we spare no effort to save as many jobs as possible. However, we will have to wait to get an idea of the final impact of the restructuring," he concluded.
The closure plan for the Geneva site provides for the elimination of 500 jobs and the transfer of another 650 employees.
