JUNE 06, 1997 Bevelgacom's implementation plan for retraining and redeployment begins Until the end of May, approximately 6,500 statutory Bevelgacom employees could take advantage of the opportunity of voluntarily leaving the company, provided on July 1, 1997 they were at least 50 years old and had 20 years company seniority. It is now known that 6,290 employees (or approximately 98% of those eligible) wish to take advantage of this opportunity. At the end of April, Bevelgacom and the representative labor unions signed a collective labor agreement involving a comprehensive restructuring program known as People, Teams and Skills (PTS) consisting of an extensive retraining and redeployment project on one hand and a voluntary departure program on the other. The 6,290 employees who have accepted the departure settlement will receive a departure bonus based on 6 months salary. Then, until their 60th birthday, they will receive a monthly allowance which is equal to 75% of their last monthly gross salary. Starting on their 60th birthday, their pension will be calculated based on the number of years of service, as if they had worked until that age. In order not to cause any imbalances within the company and to prevent any disruption in customer service, these voluntary departures are to be spread over a period of 18 months until December 31, 1998. Work can now begin on the second phase of the agreement, namely redeployment, i.e. the retraining of around 6,000 employees. By doing this, Bevelgacom hopes to rebalance its human resources so that its human potential can be optimized and so that the company can face increasing competition. The cost of this retraining and redeployment project has been estimated at 1.5 billion BEF. It will be launched with a number of goal-oriented test projects. From September 1997 through the end of 1998, retraining and redeployment will take place at cruising speed. With this PTS plan, Bevelgacom can keep its commitments to its co-workers who, in turn, will be able to find a new job within the company. On the other hand, the company can improve its organization and therefore offer better service to its customers by providing shorter deadlines at competitive prices. This in addition to other projects are being launched within the company to improve operations and enhance customer service. About | Products | Jobs | Contact | Home © 1997 BELGACOM. Last updated : june, 06, 1997. About this site Say Hello ! Legal Notice