Voltas to cut 300 jobs through VRS

By siliconindia staff writer   |   Tuesday, 28 October 2003, 20:30 IST
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MUMBAI: Voltas Ltd has announced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to slash 300 jobs and has plans to cut an equal number as part of its efforts to shed flab and become leaner to take on competition. "We are aiming to reduce 300 posts through the VRS which will be available to all employees, excluding those from the Hyderabad plant," Voltas vice-president (finance), MM Miyajiwala said. The VRS scheme for the Hyderabad plant would be announced on a later date and the company aims to slash 300 more jobs there also, he said adding, the VRS is available for the employees who are above 40 years of age and have completed 10 years of service. In the fifth VRS since 1996, the company was mainly looking to reduce posts in the manufacturing and the outgo per employee was estimated to be about Rs 4-6 lakh, he said and added that the VRS round would be the last. The company has around 3,900 employees including 1,700 employees at its Hyderabad plant. Meanwhile, it has also reached a pact with the employees union under which both the parties have agreed to withdraw pending litigation and have extended support to the VRS scheme. The company was focusing on increasing sales of commercial branded refrigerators and reduce dependence on contract manufacturing, he said adding, the company was also expecting the Hyderabad plant to break even in the next 12 months.