New York (AFP)

The American parcel delivery specialist FedEx announced on Tuesday its intention to cut between 5,500 and 6,300 jobs in Europe to avoid duplication following the takeover in 2016 of the Dutch group TNT.

The group then wanted to extend its FedEx Express subsidiary to the other side of the Atlantic "by connecting the largest air express transport network in the world with an unparalleled European road network and a global service offer", he added. he recalled in a statement.

"Since the acquisition, we have managed to successfully combine IT systems and some key activities of our air, road and land transport networks while investments have been made in technology and infrastructure," said he justified.

The logistics company claims to have started on Tuesday to negotiate with staff representative bodies on these cuts in staff.

He wishes to discuss support measures for affected employees, which will differ depending on the country and may include voluntary departures, reassignments or priority applications for new positions.

This process is expected to take 18 months.

"Changes (like those presented on Tuesday) are never easy as they impact our employees. However, they are essential to reap the benefits of integration and strengthen our competitiveness in a rapidly changing market," commented FedEx Express Europe manager Karen Reddington in the statement.

The group plans in particular to merge the airline networks of FedEx Express and TNT and to make Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris its main center of activity and Liège airport in Belgium a secondary center.

The FedEx / TNT sorting center at Liège airport currently employs more than 1,800 people (including part-time employees) and "around 40%" of the workforce is at risk, according to an airport spokesperson reached by AFP.

Wallonia, the region which includes Liège, has raised the prospect of 671 job cuts, while 861 other employees would see their schedules and workload changed.

"It is a very hard blow," commented in a statement the executive of this Belgian region already hit by deindustrialisation, in the French-speaking south of the country.

The Walloon government demanded to meet "without delay" the management of FedEx.

© 2021 AFP