General Electric (GE) may cut more than 1,000 jobs in France, which could set the U.S. company on a collision course with the French government which has consistently urged GE not to cut French jobs. A trade union source earlier told reporters that GE planned some 1,000 job cuts.
GE then issued a statement saying it was considering ways to cut costs and make its business operation more efficient in France, and that while no details had been finalized, the plan could result in up to 1,044 posts being cut in France, reports Reuters.
GE’s planned job cuts would occur principally at its site in Belfort, in the east of France. The U.S. company is currently in talks with trade unions over the possible job cuts.
The Belfort site has been consistently at risk of job cuts, as GE looks to save money, and French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said earlier this month that he had asked GE not to close any sites in France.
Last month, GE reported in its first-quarter results that it had generated more profit and lost less cash than expected, although new CEO Larry Culp warned it still had issues over negative cash flow pressures.
