Retiring Motorola Israel President Elisha Yanay
Motorola Israel to fire 50 workers
Most of people discharged are from company's development center in Tel Aviv. This will be third round of dismissals since economic crisis broke out
Motorola Israel is planning to fire dozens of workers in the first quarter of 2010, Yedioth Ahronoth economic newspaper Calcalist has learned.
According to estimates, the current round of dismissals will include 40 to 50 workers, most of them from the company's development center in Tel Aviv. The rest will leave as part of an organized retirement plan after reaching the age of retirement.
The company's development center is in charge of planning and developing a large variety of products, which are marketed in all of Motorola's markets worldwide, including VoIP phones and systems for monitoring and controlling water and electricity.
Since the economic crisis broke out in 2008, the company has fired more than 130 workers in two separate rounds, about 40 employees in the company's facility in Arad and the rest in Tel Aviv.
This has not been an easy year for Motorola, due to the acquisition of its subsidiary MIRS Communications Ltd. by Patrick Drahi for only $170 million. In addition, Motorola Israel President Elisha Yanay recently announced his decision to step down. Yanay claimed in the past that it would be very difficult for the company to survive in Israel and keep its workers if the dollar remains at its current rate.
A Motorola Israel official said in response to the report, "Some 20 workers will be retiring from the company in the next quarter upon reaching the age of retirement, and some 20 additional workers will retire due to a decision to cut down on the project as part of the company's preparation for 2010."
