Shell to cut 900 Dutch jobs in reorganization

Shell is cutting about 900 jobs in the Netherlands as part of its reorganization, which will result in the loss of between 7 thousand and 9 thousand jobs worldwide. Exactly who will be affected is not yet clear. Shell will cut a number of positions and people can apply for the remaining jobs at the company, NOS reports.

The combination of the devastatingly low oil price and the coronavirus crisis resulted in the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas giant's stock prices halving in the past year. The company had to write off more than 20 billion dollars on oil and gas reserves. 

The reorganization must reduce the company's costs by about 2.5 billion dollars per year. The number of Shell refineries worldwide will be reduced from 14 to six. The refinery in Pernis will remain open, as will the chemical branch in Moerdijk.

The layoffs in the Netherlands therefore seem to involve positions at the Shell offices in The Hague, Rijswijk and Amsterdam, according to the broadcaster. Shell said that the number of Dutch jobs will decrease by 10 percent.

"There is a good social plan available and Shell will guide affected employees from work to work as much as possible," a spokesperson for Shell said to NOS. "Because the exact numbers are not known yet, we cannot say anymore at the moment." The spokesperson did add that the layoffs will not affect the people working at Shell petrol stations.