Type
Internal restructuring
Country
France
Region
Ouest; Poitou-Charentes; Vienne
Location of affected unit(s)
Chasseneuil-du-Poitou
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Computer, Electrical Electronic And Optical Products
Manufacture Of Computer, Electronic And Optical Products
26.5 - Manufacture of instruments and appliances for measuring, testing and navigation; watches and clocks

124 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
17 January 2015
Employment effect (start)
1 July 2015
Foreseen end date
31 March 2016

Description

The technology and services company Itron  is to cut about 124 positions at its site of Chasseneuil-du-Poitou (Vienne), which employs 277 people and produces a new generation of “intelligent” electricity meters. The job cuts will mainly affect the R&D department with 66 job cuts on a total of 89 employees.

The reorganisation is part of a worldwide restructuring of the electricity activities of Itron. According to the management, the reorganisation in France could result in 137 job cuts including 124  in Chasseneuil (out of a total of 1,100employees in France) .

This is the fifth social plan since 1998. Since the announcement, the employees have launched industrial dispute with site blockage. A mediator has been nominated. On 12 May, the management agreed to reduce the number of dismissals form 137 to 89. In an interview, the CEO of Itron France explains that the new generation of electric meter production will be allocated to the site of Chasseneuil, but the production of industrial  electrical meter will be delocalise to Hungary where labour costs are cheaper.

UPDATE 25-06-2015: social partners have reached an agreement on a social plan reducing the number of job cuts from 124 to 87. The US management has agreed to avoid the offshoring/delocalisation of production to Hungary. The negotiation has also resulted in the extension of some social measures to support redundant employees looking for a new job.


Sources

  • 17 January 2015: La Nouvelle République
  • 12 May 2015: La Nouvelle République
  • 25 June 2015: La Nouvelle République

Citation

Eurofound (2015), Itron, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 83584, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/83584.