05.05.2011
Nokia has announced that they are planning to lay off 1400 people in Finland. On the risk zone are employees working with Symbian phones and software. Most of the layoffs will be done in Salo and Oulu.
The Nokia-Microsoft union has affected many of Nokia’s subcontractors, especially the ones that are involved with Symbian. There are worries that competent IT and software workforce will move abroad, if there is not enough jobs on the market.
Some companies see the layoffs as an opportunity. For example Finnish bank OP-Pohjola will found a new e-commerce unit to Oulu. The unit will concentrate on developing electronic, mobile bank and insurance services. The unit will recruit in the start dozens of people and by 2012 they are hoping to employ up to 150 people. (Sources: Suomen Kuvalehti 27.4.2011, 28.4.2011, MTV3 28.4.2011.)