Etisalat job-cut plan opposed

Workers at Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd (PTCL) will resist plans by Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) to cut jobs at its Pakistani affiliate, a union leader said on Wednesday. United Arab Emirates based Etisalat said on Tuesday it was planning a voluntary retirement scheme at affiliate PTCL, Pakistan's largest telecom provider, to reduce staff numbers and boost "efficiencies".
"We are opposed to any such plans and will resist them," said Haji Khan Bhatti, a central PTCL union leader. "We will hold protests and will go on strike if any such move is started by the management," he said. Etisalat, which manages PTCL and has a 26 percent stake in it, said it was planning to reduce the workforce at the Pakistani company days after it reported a 25 percent drop in profit in the year to June 30.