Hidroelectrica administrator announces massive layoffs, showing contempt for the future jobless

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The company workers protested against the layoffs announced by the court-appointed administrator, Remus Borza. The layoffs programme targets 600 people. Borza also blamed the workers for Hidroelectrica’s insolvency.

Euro Insol, the court-appointed administrator of insolvent company Hidroelectrica, will start today a layoffs programme targeting 600 employees of Hidroserv units, representing almost a quarter of the total personnel of these service and maintenance subsidiaries of the electricity producer. “We will start layoffs at the Hidroserv units of Slatina, Valcea and Portile de Fier, which are now the most vocal. They should not cry too loud and catch pneumonia, because they will directly go bankrupt,” Euro Insol official Remus Borza said in a press conference, according to Mediafax.The eight Hidroserv firms controlled by Hidroelectrica have a total personnel of 2,500. According to Borza, 300 of them will be made redundant between Friday and next June, then 300 more will lose their jobs until the end of the year. In order to be profitable, the Hidroserv units should retain approximately 1,200 employees, he holds.During the press conference, about 150 employees protested against this decision at the premises of Hidroelectrica, saying that they did not receive their salaries. Borza added that the responsibility of paying salaries falls upon the Hidroserv companies, not on Hidroelectrica. “This is a matter of bad management of Hidroserv. They, too are responsible for the insolvency of Hidroelectrica. If Hidroserv employees really want to work, I assure them that they have where to do it. But we should not mistake work for alms,” Borza added.The trade unions of Hidroserv held yesterday a protest rally at the premises of Hidroelectrica. The employees of Hidroserv companies, affiliated with Hidroelectrica, protested against the reduction of the maintenance programme and the layoffs announced by the judicial administrator of Hidroelectrica, Remus Borza. This is not the first protest of the Hidroserv personnel. Few days ago, over 100 employees of Hidroserv Portile de Fier protested at Drobeta Turnu Severin against the management’s decision to cut their salaries and to secure orders that would guarantee their jobs.

Comp. wants to hire 67 private managers Borza further announced that next week a campaign will start for recruiting 67 private managers for the state-run company.

“This campaign addresses all the competent and good professionals of Hidroelectrica and outside Hidroelectrica,” Borza added. The selection of the managers that will hold top positions with Hidroelectrica, following contests, will be conducted by Euro Insol and the recruitment companies Egon Zehnder International, Adecco and Pedersen&Partners.