Here is the coverage by Neue Zürcher Zeitung (also see this Swiss Layoffs Thread here @PUSkHuk ):
According to internal sources, there will be a further reduction of 1,300 jobs at the US industrial group General Electric in the energy sector. It would be the third since the acquisition of Alstom Power three years ago.
The Swiss activities of the American industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE) are threatened by the financial difficulties of the traditional group. According to an article in the "Nordwestschweiz", 1300 of the remaining 4500 jobs in Switzerland are to be deleted within the framework of a further Abbaurunde. The newspaper refers to internal sources. According to a spokesman for employee representative Switzerland, job cuts had already been scheduled for September and also communicated internally. However, because of a group-wide restructuring of the entire Group, this project was apparently postponed.
Deciding on November 13?
It is generally assumed that the new CEO John Flannery will announce concrete measures on the Investor Day on 13 November. In the context of the recent, poor quarterly result, the new CEO had no doubt that he would not be left with delicate touch-ups. Regarding the impact on Switzerland and the rumors, a press spokesman from GE merely said that he could "confirm neither the number nor the timeframe".
Since GE has acquired the Energy Department three years ago from the French industrial group Alstom, the area is no longer at rest. In a first round, which eliminated 6,500 of the total 48,000 jobs in GE's European energy base, 900 of the 5,500 jobs in Switzerland were lost, although the complementary range of the two parts was still praised during the takeover. Originally there was even a reduction of 1300 jobs. But the business with steam and gas turbines has been paralyzing for years in the industrialized countries, and in the emerging market countries the cheaper products of the Asians are often coming to a standstill.
Reduction in installments
After 100 vacancies have been canceled this year at the Birr (AG) site, GE's energy division in Switzerland still has some 4500 jobs. If in the middle of November there should actually be a further pinnacle, it will take some time until the concrete extent for the Swiss activities is known. First, the European Works Council must be consulted, only then the minting begins in the individual countries. If the extent of the dismantling is the same, this would almost mean halving the Swiss jobs of GE Power since the acquisition of Alstom Power.
With regard to the comparatively liberal labor market in Switzerland, the next Abbaurunde could hit Switzerland particularly hard. In order to obtain the approval of the French government for the purchase of Alstom Power three years ago, the buyer in France had to receive workplace guarantees. More specifically, it was promised to create 1000 new jobs in France. The activities in Belfort, where GE is now producing the gas turbines, could be dispensed with accordingly. For reasons of competition, the Swiss production of gas turbines had to be sold to the Italian industrial group Ansaldo Energia, so that the EU antitrust authorities gave the green light for the merger of GE and Alstom.
Source: https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/general-electric-plant-offenbar-neuen-stellenabbau-in-der-schweiz-ld.1323712
I've passed the article thru an online translator...