Company restructuring is no longer an exceptional circumstance. It has become a daily reality faced by trade unions and workers and a regular feature across all sectors and activities. It can also be very difficult to navigate. 

Unite the union and the management of the Rolls-Royce factory in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, have agreed on a plan to save the plant and 350 jobs that are vital to the local community.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many industries are likely to accelerate efforts to restructure their operations, creating uncertainty for employees. It is vital that trade unions should be involved in the recovery process at all levels. Germany’s DGB Confederation has published a new report outlining 21 projects that could map the way forward for structural change in the future.

French trade unions have signed an agreement with engineering and electronics company Bosch, France, setting the terms for the application of official, long-term, short-time working arrangements, valid until June 2022.

Trade union Unia has launched talks with pharmaceutical group Novartis in a bid to save hundreds of jobs in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis wants to cut or relocate 500 ‘traditional’ jobs in production, development and management, while at the same time recruiting some 350 high-skilled workers, mainly in bio-tech. The company plans to move some jobs to India.

A commitment to no compulsory redundancies is one of the key elements of a draft deal between German union ver.di and the Uniper energy company, now being reviewed by union members. In preparation for the phasing out of coal-powered operations and inevitable restructuring, the union has also secured an early retirement scheme. "Against the backdrop of the persistently difficult political conditions for the future of coal distribution, this long-term security is very important for our members," said ver.di negotiator Immo Schlepper.

Trade unions have reacted to protect workers following the announcement of massive store closures by Dutch household retailer Blokker. Some 100 branches will close their doors this year, plus 100 more at sister company Marskramer. A total of 1,900 of the 7,000 jobs at Blokker, Marskramer and parent company Blokker Holding will disappear, leaving around 400 stores after restructuring. The company plans to sell the branches, hoping to maintain jobs for some 13,500 workers in the Netherlands and elsewhere.

Multinational energy and automation company Schneider Electric has reached an agreement with European trade unions that will help workers to anticipate change and deal with the impact of globalisation. Schneider Electric has 45,000 employees in 29 European countries. Negotiations addressed current challenges such as energy transition, digital transformation, evolving professions and increasing the number of young employees.

Videos of the ETUC Project "Restructuring in Europe" dedicated to - Facts & Figures, Forms & Reasons 

The ETUC as well as the ETUFs during the last two decades have been actively involved in the EU level debate on how to improve frameworks conditions for trade unions, employee representatives as well as individual employees in contexts of corporate restructuring – in regard to anticipation and also the handling and management of restructuring operations both at national as well as cross-border level. In various occasions, in trade union run studies and cooperation projects, in bilateral as well as trilateral dialogue structures and events at EU level it has been highlighted and stressed by European unions that there is a need for a substantial strengthening of workers’ rights in order to model and shape a fair handling of corporate restructuring and strengthen the capacity to anticipate change.

Deadline for submission of bids: Tuesday 30 June 2015.

17 December 2013 Joint Answer by the ETUC and industriAll Europe to the European Commission / Directorate-General for Competition

Brussels, 13/12/2013 The European Commission has today (13 December) issued its proposals for best practices for reducing the social impact of restructuring, which offers guidelines for stakeholder on how best to minimise the effect of restructuring. However, the ETUC says that the time for inactivity is over. Reacting to today’s announcement, the ETUC says “we have had enough evaluations of best practices – it’s time for political action”.

Brussels, 2013

Brussels, 2013

Brussels, 09 October 2013

Bernadette Ségol (send a mail) Advisor: Ronald Janssen (send a mail) Sec: Laurence Watrin (send a mail) Tel: +32 2 2240439 fax: +32 2 2240582

Brussels, 02/09/2013

Brussels, 11/03/2013 On 15 January 2013, the European Parliament supported a call for a legal instrument on anticipation of change and restructuring, proposed under Article 225 (Treaty of Lisbon). The report won a massive majority of support in the EP (503 for, 107 against and 72 abstentions). Recognition by directly elected representatives that legislative action is urgently needed at European level to address the anticipation of change and ensure effective management of restructuring, and yet the Commission has not reacted in any way to this historic vote.

Brussels, 15/01/2013

Brussels, September 2012

Brussels, 02/04/2012 “We’ve waited 15 years for the recommendations from Gyllenhammar to be taken up. In those 15 years, millions of European workers have been subject to poorly planned and unfairly implemented restructuring processes. After 5 years of economic crisis, our patience is at its limits”, stated Judith Kirton-Darling ETUC Confederal Secretary. “It’s time for action on the right to training, stronger worker participation, and an industrial policy agenda promoting innovation and job creation”.

Brussels, 18/01/2012

Brussels, 26/10/2011

Brussels, 2011 ETUC Rapport for download To download the ETUC Rapport, please click on the icon below.