The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Manufacturing Manufacturing Of Furniture And Other Manufacturing Manufacture Of Furniture 31.09 - Manufacture of other furniture
140 - 355 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
13 October 2016
Employment effect (start)
16 October 2016
Foreseen end date
30 November 2016
Description
Italian high-end sofa manufacturer Natuzzi is to dismiss up to 355 workers at the Ginosa site (Taranto).
The company is currently negotiating with unions and local administrations its business plan, aimed at reshoring production from Romania and outsourcing the Ginosa plant, where a subcontractor should start manufacturing polyurethane foam for sofas over the next 24 months (see also NatuzziIT-2013).
In the meantime, all the 2,200 workers of the Italian plants are covered by the Wage Guarantee Fund - the Italian short-time working and temporary layoff scheme with subsidised wages. Of these, some 355 workers, who are employed at the Ginosa site, are fully suspended from work, being the site currently closed. Since the social shock absorbers covering them were to expire on 15 October 2016, the company opened a collective dismissal procedure and offered them incentives to leave the company on a voluntary basis. According to the plan, those losing their job without accepting the incentive should be hired back within two years by the new company, which is expected to take over the Ginosa plant.
Unions criticised the decision to proceed with dismissals as the Apulia Region and the government disclosed their availability to extend the Wage Guarantee Fund.
Update, 28/10/2016: About 140 workers accepted voluntary dismissals and left the company. As to the remaining 215 redundancies, the company requires the extension of the Wage Guarantee Fund for another year to allow not to leave them without a job before their relocation.
Eurofound (2016), Natuzzi, Internal restructuring in Italy, factsheet number 89105, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/89105.
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