Philip Morris closure ends 1200 jobs

It’s curtains for more than 1,000 workers of cigarette company Philip Morris that is closing the doors of its Bergen op Zoom plant. The New York headquartered company reported that 1,180 of its workers in the town will no longer have jobs as of September 1st. About 100 already have new jobs. The last cigarette will be produced tomorrow. Philip Morris is keeping part of the plant open; 170 workers will be retained to do sales and run the section that refines the raw material from which cigarettes are produced at other plants. Another 15 to 20 workers will be transferred to other Philip Morris stations in Europe; most of them will be moved to Berlin. The company is paying their transfer costs. Philip Morris says none of its production will be taken outside Europe. The company has arranged a social plan for the dismissed workers in agreement with the Union. At the Administration Building of Bergen op Zoom -which will also lobby for the employees- a Work Center has been opened.