ECID letter to Ben Verwaayen on R&D

Subject : EWC information – Future of the R&D sites in Europe.

Mr Verwaayen,

During the last plenary meeting of the European Committee, on December 12th, you didn't speak at all about the closing of sites. But later that same day, you announced on the Intranet your intention of closing 40% R&D sites in a categorical way.

This information has generated big worries to the employees. It is ncomprehensible that you did not address this topic with the European Committee. Should we conclude that this information is false and that no European R&D site will be affected by such a plan ?

If that's not the case, we ask you to inform the EWC quickly and precisely, providing all necessary information in order to understand the plan of closing a part of the R&D sites, and in particular :

• current repartition of all R&D sites (employees and actitivies)
• timetable for such "objective" of reducing the number of sites
• affected sites, pace, procedures (grouping...)
• reasons and expected results of the measure (both qualitative and quantitative)
• consequences for the employees (layoffs ? mobility ?)

In case of lack of response, the trade unions who signed the 1996 ECID agreement may take legal action.

Cordially,

Odile Denis

Secretary of the Alcatel-Lucent EWC (ECID),