PKN Orlen plans shake up to fight market decline

In order to halt the trend, the management of the company is to implement a new retail sales structure, which will become operational on July 1. "We are aiming at improving its effectiveness through liquidation of intermediaries," said Tomasz Książek, Orlen's director for retail network management. Such a move is to bring at least zł.27 million of savings. Despite economic benefits, the decision also sparked serious protests from the company's labor unions. This is because the restructuring scheme encompasses reducing the work force by 300 people employed in regional offices. PKN Orlen has secured zł.70 million from last year's reserves for compensating the layoffs. "We will show a negative stand on this decision. We are ready to discuss the restructuring but we are afraid of the high speed at which it is being implemented. Taking into account Orlen's situation, we see no reasons for such a reduction in employment," said head of Solidarity in Orlen, Walenty Cywiński. (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) A.K.