Alcatel's local operation said its ability to retain jobs over the coming year would depend on "market conditions", following the company's announcement late last week that it had increased its global job-cut target for 2003 by 10,000.
The spokesperson said that the company would not downsize its local operation as long as the market conditions stayed as they were. However she could not rule out the possibility that the company would cut positions if the market deteriorated further.
"At this point in time our operations are staffed according to what the market conditions are. If the market conditions change then we'll look at staffing our operations in line with those market changes," she said.
Alcatel's announcement added to the general gloom surrounding the telecommunications sector. The French telecommunications equipment maker said it would reduce its "[global] headcount to around 60,000 employees by the end of 2003."
Two months ago, Alcatel appeared on track to be able to retain a larger workforce, having said at that time that it intended to cut its staff to 70,000 by the end of next year.
At the end of December 2001, Alcatel employed 99,000 people. The latest announcement indicates that a total of 39,000 people will have lost their jobs at the company by the end of 2003.
The company will have reduced its headcount by around one-third by the end of the year.
Alcatel also gave an indication that its profits may decrease, forecasting that its revenues for the second half of 2002 would be down 15 percent on the first.
