Restructuring events
European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
On the 22nd of September the multinational chemicals group LyondellBasell announced the termination of its oil-refinery activities at the plant of Berre-L'Etang near Marseille which currently employs 1,250 people. Some 370 jobs will be lost through the closure.
LyondellBasell took over the old oil-refinery from Shell. The management made some attempts to sell the plant, but without success. The company has to deal with overcapacity in Europe and competition from Asia, Russia and the Middle East.
Since the announcement, the employees have been on strike requesting an industrial plan to keep the site open.
UPDATE, 10 October 2011: The management and unions reached an agreement after a week of strike. The oil-refinery will not be closed, but oil-refinery activities are halted from January 2012 on until the economic situation allows for restarting them.
A task-force of social partners, experts of both sides and public authorities will try to find investors to take-over the site. Social partners will also negotiate a further social plan. Unions had obtained that the social plan will have a five-year duration (until June 2016) and will concern the whole plant. Internal mobility will be facilitated. The management has also accepted a voluntary departure plan for older workers (i.e. over 52 years old) which would account for about 400 voluntary redundancies.
UPDATE 17 May 2012 : The social partners are still in the process of searching for a buyer. 400 employees have agreed to voluntary departure, departure on early retirement or outplacement. According to the management, the number of forced dismissal will be very low.
Eurofound (2011), LyondellBasell, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 72450, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/72450.
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