Polaniec restructuring to create 600 to 700 redundancies

Energy producer Elektrownie Polaniec plans to shed 600 to 700 workers, in the first stage of a restructuring that will see it streamline its operations. The lay-offs, primarily from Polaniec's service operations, are expected to cost the company some zl.70 million, according to chief executive, Marek Woloch. Polaniec currently employs around 2,300 workers, who are protected by a 10-year social welfare package signed with strategic investor, Electrabel of Belgium. Under the terms of this agreement, each laid-off worker is believed to be entitled to redundancy pay of at least zl.100,000. In the next stage of its restructuring, the company will divest itself of all but its core energy-production business. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6) M.K.