Philip Morris is planning for a future with smoke-free products.
Keystone / Laurent Gillieron
Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris may cut as many as 350 jobs in Switzerland next year as it concentrates on smokeless products, according to internal communications seen by a trade union.
The uncertainty surrounding employees at facilities in Neuchâtel and Lausanne in French-speaking western Switzerland comes months after Japan Tobacco International announced 268 job cuts from its Geneva headquarters.
The Neuchâtel regional office of the Unia trade union told the 24 HeuresExternal link newspaper that it has seen an internal email announcing the impending job cuts at Philip Morris. The company told Swiss public broadcaster RTSExternal link that it would release details in the first quarter of 2020.
But it confirmed that it is conducting a strategy review based on increased activities around smokeless tobacco products.
“Some time ago, we announced organizational changes to meet our ambitions of a smoke-free world, where cigarettes will be rapidly replaced by less harmful products based on science,” spokesman Tommaso Di Giovanni told RTS, adding that new staff had been taken as a result. “We are now in a phase where we are evaluating the best organizational structure to face the new challenges. And it’s clear that we’re discussing changes in central functions.”
Unia said the proposed job cuts would affect Philip Morris’s research and development unit as opposed to production sites, which is why the union says it had not been officially consulted on the plans.
More
More
Switzerland: the land of the tobacco industry
This content was published on
Though Switzerland has not yet ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Geneva is hosting an important meeting on the treaty.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss parliament calls for further security cooperation with EU
This content was published on
The House of Representatives has called on the Swiss government to take a more proactive approach to European security policy.
Switzerland has no US-style fentanyl problem, says health minister
This content was published on
There is very little chance of a US-sized fentanyl epidemic in Switzerland, says health minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.
This content was published on
Two fish species recently discovered in Switzerland have been called fluvicola and ommata, following an appeal to the public for names.
Convicted ex-shipowner achieves partial success in Swiss court
This content was published on
The Federal Supreme Court orders lower court to reassess part of its verdict against former Swiss shipowner Hans-Jürg Grunder.
This content was published on
A Swiss moratorium on the genetic engineering of plants, which expires at the end of 2025, could be extended for five years.
SWISS airline achieves second-best profit in history
This content was published on
Revenues soared for Swiss International Air Lines in 2024, contributing to the second-largest profit in the company's history.
This content was published on
Around 80 Japan Tobacco International (JTI) staff gathered outside their Geneva headquarters on Tuesday to share their concerns about job cuts.
Federal body slams negative influence of tobacco industry
This content was published on
The Federal Commission for Tobacco PreventionExternal link accuses three international tobacco giants, with regional headquarters in Switzerland, of manipulating the debate with their own campaigns that promise alternative solutions to smoking related health problems. “These undermine the health policy objectives of the Federal Council [Swiss government] and exert pressure and influence on the political actors.…
Will tobacco-friendly Switzerland change its tune on smoking laws?
This content was published on
Switzerland is one of a handful of countries that has not ratified a major global tobacco control treaty. Is change in the air?
This content was published on
Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is planning to cut one quarter of its staff in Geneva over a three-year period as part of restructuring measures.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.