Firm invites staff to move to Hungary

WORKERS at a Philips factory in the Eure-et-Loir have been sent letters telling them not to turn up for work today – and inviting them to apply for jobs in Hungary instead.

The technology firm announced last October that it was planning to close the loss-making TV manufacturing plant in Dreux, with the loss of 212 jobs.

Employees and unions drew up a rescue plan - but they all learned by post on Saturday morning that the closure would be going ahead.

A CGT union spokesman said: "A registered letter was sent to every worker telling them that they should not turn up for work from Monday."

The letter included a list of available jobs elsewhere in the group - the nearest was in Hungary, with a salary of €450 a month, and "Hungarian language skills required".

The union has urged staff to turn up for work this morning as usual. Philips says it is offering an attractive severance package, at a cost of about €100,000 per person.