In his first meeting on Monday with Compagnie des Machines Bull SA’s trades unions, newly appointed managing director Jean-Marie Descarpentries affirmed his desire to bring the company’s turnover per employee into line with its best competitors, but stopped short of outlining specific measures and did not say whether he intended to maintain the 6,500 job cuts, which were announced by the previous administration and would be effected by the end of 1994, but said he was ready to examine all possible alternatives, including part-time work and work-week reductions; even so, neither the unions nor industry analysts believe he can avoid further cuts; a representative from the Confederation Generale de Travail told La Tribune-Defosses that Descarpentries’ comments would translate into new salary reductions, with accompanying personnel cuts; Gartner Group analyst Chuck White was quoted saying The state has given him a mandate – prepare the company for privatisation via whatever means it takes to get it there; Bull should get down to 25,000 staff within two years it has 33,000 employees worldwide now.
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