French president Francois Hollande has requested Alcatel-Lucent to secure as many jobs as possible in France in the wake of its plans to slash 10,000 jobs globally, which make up 14% of the Franco-American group’s entire workforce.
Alcatel-Lucent’s move, which impacts 900 jobs in France, was condemned by Hollande’s government, which is battling with record levels of redundancy across the country.
Hollande said: "In the framework of the decisions to be taken, the restructuring plan, it should be examined how the job cuts can be limited as much as possible."
However, other government officials supported the move saying that it was necessitated to save the group in which France owns a 3% stake.
The telecommunication equipment maker, with a global workforce of 72,000, has been facing difficulties to generate profits since the merger in 2006.
The firm also plans to slash about 4,100 jobs in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), 3,800 jobs in Asia and 2,100 in the US.
As part of the move, Alcatel-Lucent is also planning to wind up its facilities in Rennes and Toulouse and sell its Eu and Ormes plants, while relocating the Paris Suffren site outside Paris.
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