Sunrise Announces Job Cuts

Switzerland's Sunrise says that it is to cut its workforce by some 6 percent, citing price pressures in the Swiss market. The company will be laying off 140 staff - mainly affecting employees with no direct customer contact.

Sunrise says that the Swiss telecommunications market is extremely competitive and in many areas largely saturated. Competition for customers is extremely tough and is ultimately controlled by price structures. These developments are leading to even more difficult market conditions than ever before. Cost pressure will continue to rise throughout the entire telecommunications industry, forcing companies to substantially increase their efficiency.

sunrise has worked in close cooperation with the Staff Committee and the "Gewerkschaft Kommunikation" to create a comprehensive layoff benefit plan. This package of measures will be largely identical to that which was unveiled during the restructuring phase in the spring of last year. At that time over 80% of affected employees were able to find new positions very quickly.

Only last year though, the company had recruited over 350 new staff.