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Employee suicides go up as economic crisis hits firms
Protesters call for job creations for the growing number of unemployed globally at a peaceful march in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dire economic times have hit companies hard, with some employees resorting to suicide after lay offs. Photo/REUTERS
Posted Thursday, November 26 2009 at 00:00
In Summary
- Death cases force France Telecom to suspend its restructuring plan
Similar transitions are taking place at our very own Telkom Kenya.
Much of the restructuring entailed retiring employees, and the prospect of being laid off is said to have pushed many of the victims to their final decisions.
France Telecom, which operates under the Orange brand, and owns 49 per cent of our own Telkom Kenya, is now under public scrutiny as its suicide rate soars.
In France, where the telecommunications company is based, the suicide rate is 16 in 100,000 people.
At France Telecom, it is 17.6, a rate that is higher than the country rates for the US and the UK.
A few weeks ago, a man stabbed himself in the stomach during a staff meeting while a woman threw herself out of a window at France Telecom, according to wire reports.
Most of the deaths have been blamed on the restructuring process.
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