Portugal: Altice announces collective redundancy of between 250 and 300 employees

Altice Portugal, the country’s largest telecommunications service provider, commenced a restructuring process in 2020, as part of efforts to prepare for 5G technology. The Portuguese subsidiary of the French telecommunications group has implemented a programme of voluntary redundancies and early retirement for workers over the age of 55. About 2,000 workers fell into this age bracket. The company offered a remuneration basis of 80% of individuals’ former salary until their retirement age – between 65 and 67 depending on the years of service. Some 1,100 workers accepted the offer, but Altice was hoping for more. The company is now considering collective redundancies for around 250 to 300 people. The decision comes as a surprise to unions representing staff at the firm, as the collective redundancy procedure was never mentioned, and has been interpreted as an attempt by Altice Portugal to force people to leave. The Portuguese telecommunications service provider acknowledges the difficulties it has encountered in implementing its restructuring process and blames Anacom, the national regulatory authority for the communications sector, for the stalling of the process. Far-left parties have raised the issue in parliament and brought the case before European courts. Altice Telecom’s workers’ unions have given notice of a strike for 21 July 2021.