A few days ago the bad news was confirmed: Telefónica informed the unions that, finally, it will not carry out an Incentive Severance Plan (PSI) as in recent years, but will carry out an ERE to reduce its workforce in Spain, something it has not done since 2013.
This Redundancy Program, the first under the presidency of Álvare-Pallete, will affect the three major subsidiaries that the company has in our country: Telefónica España, Telefónica Móviles and Telefónica Soluciones.
Rumors pointed to 2,500 layoffs, but today the negotiating tables have been set up and the number of people affected will be much higher: 5,124 people is the figure proposed by Telefónica, according to union sources.
More than 5,000 departures in three years’ time
Last week, in the middle of the renewal of the collective agreement, Telefónica informed the workers’ unions of its intentions to carry out a Redundancy Program (ERE) in Telefónica España, Telefónica Móviles and Telefónica Soluciones.
Rumors quickly surfaced that 2,500 people would be affected by this ERE, but Telefónica stated that there were no confirmed figures for the moment. Today, however, the negotiating tables have been set up and, according to union sources, the company has proposed the number of employees to be included in the labor force reduction plan: 5,124 people.
There would be 4,085 departures in Telefónica de España, 958 in Telefónica Móviles and 81 in Telefónica Soluciones. This is a figure that exceeds the worst forecasts because it is more than double what was initially rumored and represents almost a third of the 16,000 people that make up the three affected divisions of the company.
That figure, in any case, would still be lower than the impact of the ERE of 2013, which ended up affecting 6,800 employees and left us the famous ‘Telefónica clause’ as a legacy. From Xataka, we have contacted the company, but they have preferred not to give details or talk about numbers. They have only told us the following:
“Today Negotiation Tables have been formally constituted in Telefónica de España, Telefónica Móviles España and Telefónica Soluciones. Within this framework, the company has communicated to the different workers’ representatives the corresponding adjustment to each of these companies to adapt them to the demanding process of transformation and adaptation required by the new digital era”.
It should be noted, however, that if the figure is confirmed, these 5,174 layoffs will not take place all at once, but will be carried out as part of the company’s strategic plan for the next three years. The famous ‘GPS’ plan, which was presented a few weeks ago and will run until 2026.
In addition, according to El Economista, Telefónica’s redundancy plan will mainly affect employees with at least 15 years of seniority in the company and who were born before 1969, that is, who are at least 55 years old.