Sunrise launches restructuring, up to 450 jobs at risk

Sunrise announced on Monday a restructuring that could lead to the elimination of up to 450 full-time jobs, out of a total workforce of 2,900. The telecommunications operator describes a "deep reorientation" of its operations, aimed at achieving substantial savings over the medium term.

In its statement, the company presents the restructuring as a necessary response to anticipate emerging developments in the market and in technology, aimed at durably strengthening its operational execution capacity and its market position. The scale of the expected savings has not yet been specified.

The consultation process with union representatives will begin in October. According to the company, staff working in stores and customer service should be largely spared from the cuts. This is the second workforce intervention in a few months: last February, Sunrise had already announced the layoff of 147 people.

Union reaction

The Syndicom union strongly condemned the announcement, calling it "an affront to staff". The organisation recalled the commitment of employees, who in recent years have gone through "numerous changes" within the company.

Syndicom is asking that the consultation begin quickly, so that staff have enough time to put forward alternative proposals. The union also expects Sunrise to explore every option to preserve jobs, rather than unilaterally prioritising cost and performance targets over the interests of staff.

For a company operating in a telecommunications market marked by price pressure and ongoing infrastructure investment, cost control remains a central lever for competitiveness. It remains to be seen how much the consultation process with unions will affect the final number of jobs cut, and whether the expected savings will translate into a lasting strengthening of the company's finances or merely absorb short-term cyclical pressure.