From STOP THESE THINGS

Remember how the wind and solar industries would create hundreds of thousands of highly-paid groovy ‘green’ jobs? No? Well, as it turns out, the few (highly subsidised) jobs created are disappearing like the sun over the horizon. Although, for the axed workers, there will be no reappearance the following day. Easy come, easy go.

Siemens Gamesa is a case in point. Orders have dried up; costs of producing anything in Germany are prohibitive – it suffers Europe’s highest power prices, thanks to Germany’s efforts to run on nothing but sunshine and breezes (and exorbitantly priced gas). Germany’s largest wind turbine manufacturer has been struggling for years to turn a profit.

Siemens suffer a €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) market value write-down in a single day in June last year, followed by another 40% write-down in October – slashing a further €3 billion ($3.16 billion) off its market value, following revelations by Siemens that it was demanding billions in government-backed guarantees from the German government.

12 months on, and Siemens is still on the ropes, sacking 4,100 workers in one fell swoop, as this lament from Reuters explains.

Siemens Energy’s Gamesa to cut 4,100 jobs, CEO says in staff letter
Reuters
29 May 2024

Siemens Energy’s wind turbine division Siemens Gamesa is planning to cut 4,100 jobs, or around 15% of its workforce, the unit’s Chief Executive Jochen Eickholt said in an internal letter to staff seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

“Our current situation demands adjustments that go beyond organizational changes. We have to adapt to lower business volumes, reduced activity in non-core markets, and a streamlined portfolio,” Eickholt said in the letter.

A spokesperson for Siemens Energy said the company would announce the number of jobs affected once consultations with all stakeholders are completed, declining to comment further.

The job cuts plan, which was first reported by Spanish newspaper El Correo, comes shortly after Siemens Energy fleshed out major restructuring moves at Siemens Gamesa, also flagging that this would include staff reductions.

Eickholt said the goal was to keep Siemens Gamesa’s total workforce stable, via shifting jobs to and hiring more employees in other part of the division, confirming comments made by Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch earlier this month.

“The leadership team and I are aware that today’s announcement is difficult, especially considering the challenges you’ve been facing over this past year,” Eickholt, who will step down at the end of July, said in the letter.
Reuters