Labor market expert on major layoffs at Migros: It will be difficult to find a job for those affected

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Migros is Switzerland’s largest private employer, and losing 1,500 jobs in the Swiss labor market is no small feat. Occasionally a company lays off several hundred people, most recently the industrial company Rieter from Winterthur ZH. But more than a thousand? This is a rare condition in Switzerland and only occurs every few years. For example, following the death of CS. Or as part of the major restructuring that pharmaceutical heavyweight Novartis has undertaken in the last few years.

“Effective layoffs at Migros could be much higher,” warns Pascal Scheiwiller (50). He is the CEO of Rundstedt’s job placement company, which helps employees find jobs after being laid off. Mass layoffs are his specialty.

“Restructure and optimize”

Employment of 1,500 people will be eliminated in the Migros superstructure. For example, for IT or logistics services that the group no longer needs after the disposal of Melectronics, Hotelplan, SportX and Mibelle. No one yet knows how much additional job loss there will be in the sold businesses. One thing is clear: “It won’t work there either without restructuring,” predicts Scheiwiller. “When I buy a company and integrate it into my existing business, there are overlaps and I have to restructure and optimize.”

The four corporate units up for sale employ 6,500 people and they too face an uncertain future. It doesn’t help that there is a shortage of skilled workers despite the economic slowdown. “Those with a general business profile and general management profiles have a hard time finding work,” says Scheiwiller. Specialists in IT, control and finance have better cards.

It’s best to leave voluntarily.

Due to the uncertainty, many employees will already start browsing job portals. Anyone who has a profile they are looking for will soon take the plunge. After all, those affected by layoffs are those who are having a difficult time in the job market.

Migros promises to help those affected find jobs. And it notes that it is currently advertising 1,400 positions and that “employees and skilled workers are in great demand everywhere.” A misleading argument that suggests there is a zero-sum game between the 1,500 jobs to be eliminated and the 1,400 advertised. “Experience has shown that internal mobility does not work well when there are structural layoffs; these are mostly isolated cases,” explains Scheiwiller.

The Unia union is angry at the announced cuts. According to Unia, this is the “largest wave of layoffs in the history of Migros”.

But Scheiwiller defends the orange giant. “Migros is doing the right thing strategically and is known as a social employer and does not let people down when laying them off.” For those affected, the coming months will still be a time of hope and fear.

Source :Blick