According to the newspaper Le Temps, a total of 150 jobs will be cut. The staff was informed of the decision on Thursday. A social plan is to be negotiated.
Alstom-Bombardier intends to continue to build rolling stock on its Villeneuve site. However, it wants to diversify its offerings.
“We especially want to transform Villeneuve into a service centre,” said Cora Hentrich-Henne, Alstom-Bombardier’s general manager for Switzerland.
Rough patch
In October, the French firm lost a Swiss Federal Railways contract for 286 singe-decker trains worth CHF2 billion ($2.16 billion) to Swiss competitor Stadler Rail. Alstom-Bombardier has filed an appeal.
The company’s existing contract with the national rail company also ran into obstacles. In 2010, Alstom-Bombardier won a contract worth CHF1.9 billion to build 62 double-decker trains for the Federal Railways.
The project was delayed by four years after an organisation representing people with disabilities complained that the new trains were not accessible. The Federal Court ruled in favour of the railway company and Alstom-Bombardier eventually managed to deliver 54 trains that were built at the Villeneuve plant.
Although the initial contract left open the possibility of an order for 100 additional trains, this does not seem to be on the cards, according to Le Temps.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
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.
Read more
More
Federal Railways posts record losses
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways has reported a third fewer customers on trains and in stations in 2020 and a loss of CHF617 million.
Disabled group takes Swiss trains to Supreme Court
This content was published on
Switzerland’s umbrella organisation for disabled groups is taking the new double-decker trains to the Supreme Court, saying they are illegal.
This content was published on
Jump on, ride to your stop, hop off — without offending anybody. Sounds easy, but it’s not, warns a guru of Swiss transport etiquette.
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.