Romanian Azomures Puts 600 Employees On Tech Unemployment In Apr

Romania’s fertilizers plant Azomures (AZO.RO) will put approximately 600 employees on technical unemployment in the first part of April, according to "Alternativa 2002" trade union.

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"Sending the people on technical unemployment will be made gradually, in the first part of April. These things were negotiated in order to prevent unemployment, the management saying it looks for solutions to prevent layoffs," the union vice-president Maria Dandarau said.

During the technical unemployment, the 600 employees will receive 75% of they wages, but she could not say how long the situation will last.

Azomures unionists will protest in the upcoming period against the Government failing to meet their promise of granting subsidies to the farmers buying chemical fertilizers.

Early March, Romania’s Agriculture Minister Ilie Sarbu said the farmers will not receive any subsidies for the purchase of chemical fertilizers in the spring agricultural campaign. According to him, the Government will speak to the European Commission representatives, asking for support in granting subsidies in the fall campaign.

Between December 2008 and February 2009, Azomures sent 2,500 people on technical unemployment, due to the lack of orders and the difficulty in selling the stocked goods.

Azomures reported a net profit of 50.57 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2392) in 2008, down 9.1% from RON55.61 million a year earlier, while the company’s turnover rose 39.4% at RON1.14 billion, from RON820.6 million in 2007.

The plant was privatized in 1998, being majority owned by Luxemburg-registered Transworld Fertilizers Holding, with a 56% stake.

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