IndustriAll European Trade Union condemns Nokia’s disastrous cost-cutting strategy and disregard for workers’ rights to be informed and consulted

8 July 2020

Nokia workers and their trade unions in France, have today staged a massive mobilisation to protest the company’s latest plans, that involve suppressing 1,233 jobs in France. It is the fourth restructuring plan since Nokia acquired Alcatel-Lucent in early 2016.

Nokia workers across Europe and their unions, affiliated to industriAll Europe, are angry and frustrated about the permanent process of restructuring and downsizing the company has been engaged in for years. A process that has already negatively impacted thousands of Nokia workers and their families. This frustration has found its expression in France today.

In its declaration, issued today, industriAll Europe vehemently opposes Nokia’s shareholder-oriented strategy.

IndustriAll Europe urges Nokia management to:

• Immediately stop all restructuring projects
• Deliver a strategic industrial plan that will secure the long-term development of Nokia and enable its contribution to a digital Europe
• Comply with its European and national legal obligations to inform and consult worker and trade union representatives, before taking any final decision

Over the last couple of years, Nokia has cut thousands of jobs across Europe, downsized key R&D capacities, reduced its European footprint and transferred activities to so-called ‘low-cost countries’, compromising on quality in the process.

Isabelle Barthès, industriAll Europe’s Deputy General Secretary:

“At a time when the ICT sector is called on to support Europe’s digital transformation, Nokia deprives itself of essential technological expertise and know-how. This will severely hamper the company’s ability to seize the opportunities offered by high growth markets such as 5G, cybersecurity or cloud computing technology. Workers and their unions are right to question the rationale behind such plans.”

“We are also highly critical of Nokia persistently breaching its obligation to inform and consult its European works council. Worker involvement is crucial to put Nokia’s industrial strategy on a sound footing and to ensure a socially responsible management of any planned changes.”

European trade unions will pursue their coordination at national and European level in the coming weeks under the auspices of industriAll Europe and consider further trade union actions.

ENDS