Swiss steelworks ready to reduce working hours to save energy, reports press
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ZURICH (Archyde.com) – Swiss steelmaker Stahl Gerlafingen has been given the go-ahead by the authorities to reduce the working hours of its employees and deal with soaring energy bills, which have now reached what it was costing it in a month. so far in one year, reports the NZZ am Sonntag on Sunday.
“High energy prices threaten our existence,” said the managing director of the steelworks owned by the Italian Beltrame Group, Alain Creteur, quoted by the Sunday newspaper.
“Maybe no one should be furloughed. But maybe we should also send home some or all of our 560 workers,” he added.
No comment could be obtained from the company on Sunday.
According to NZZ am Sonntag, a “stress test” campaign is planned this month in Switzerland to examine how large energy consumers would react in the event of electricity rationing to avoid a shortage this winter in the wake of the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
(Michael Shields, Gilles Guillaume for the French version)