(10 April 2012) Faced with losing their jobs, 400 workers of SNET, the French subsidiary of German energy giant EON, demonstrated in front of the head office of SNET in Paris, 4 April 2012. They were supported by elected politicians from local and national level. EON wants to close 5 units that produce electricity employing 535 workers. EON argues that the units are not profitable enough. It wanted to use a works council meeting to announce the closure. The workers and their unions (...)

(29 February 2012) EON has announced a big restructuring plan last year. It will effect employment, and 11.000 jobs will have to go. The company has agreed a social plan with the unions in Germany. (there is recent article on the web on this) Discussions continue with the EWC as information has not been complete and there is no indication what the precise cuts will be and in which countries. EON has announced over 50 projects to reorganize the organization and find savings and costs. Union (...)

(9 February 2012) The Italian unions organizing workers in EON have officially informed management that there is a conflict with the company as a first step in what could escalate in full blown industrial action. EON has announced redundancies as part of its reorganization and restructuring programme which will see over 11.000 workers being axed including 6000 in Germany. No overall social plan exists for the company, nor at Italian level. The company is violating the agreements to invest (...)

(26 January 2012) Eon announced last year it would dismiss 11.000 workers, 6000 in Germany, the rest in its operations in Europe and worldwide. It was euphemistically called EON 2.0. It was not prepared to give guarantees that this would happen without forced redundancies. Verdi sought to negotiate a collective agreement to prevent such redundancies and to ensure workers faced with restructuring would have a social plan. The agreement is valid till end 2016. The possibilities for those (...)

(10 October 2011) Eon management is considering to create a socalled Transfer company in which it would put thousands of its workers. This creates the impression of EON being in a difficult financial situation. This is not acceptable, argues Sven Bergelin, Verdi’s national energy officer. He announces that workers will seek strike action if the company does not come to terms with the workers demands for job guarantees - to read the reaction of Verdi Verdi is the principal union organizing (...)

(22 September 2011) The main issue on the agenda was the leaked plan called EON 2.0 to re-organise the company, merge several sites (Hanover, Essen, Munchen, e.g.) and save 1,5 billion Euros. Such savings could cost 10.000 workers or more their job in Germany and other European countries as confirmed by the EON Board . The EWC was very critical, and stressed the appropriate information and consultation should be respected. The EON 2.0 includes: Reduction of management levels and staff (...)

(19 September 2011) The combined French energy unions have agreed a joint position regarding the proposals of EON France to close several power stations of SNET. It concerns 70% of production capacity and 535 workers. The unions also draw attention to the fact that the transmission operator RTE has predicted the possibility of a lack of sufficient capacity in 2016. The unions demand that EON keeps the power stations running till 2015 through investing in maintenance. The workers of SNET (...)

(Brussels, 18 March 2011) The Italian trade unions have informed the EWC that they have announced a strike in all facilities of EON in Italy for 25 March 2011. The Italian unions provided a list of reasons for the strike including a lack of dialogue on the investments and strategy of EON in Italy. Without investments (to renew and overhaul the existing facilities) and a clear industrial policy the role of EON on the Italian market will be questioned and this has an impact on the jobs and (...)

(27 January 2010) Trade unions organizing workers in EON met to consider the implications of EON’s Perform to Win and other plans to reorganize and restructure the company, January 26th. EON is the large German multinational electricity and gas company active in several European countries, Russia and the US. The reorganization plans have a significant impact on the workers and their families with job cuts and outsourcing being the main characteristics. The plans have caused considerable (...)