German conglomerate Siemens has revealed it is looking at getting rid of up to 11,600 positions in its restructuring plan.<br /><br />Chief executive Joe Kaeser gave specific numbers for the first time when questioned at an investor conference in New York. <br /><br />He plans to reduce the group to nine core divisions.<br /><br />That will affect as much as three percent of its workforce, though a company spokesman explained some employees would be assigned other roles. <br /><br />The spokesman noted the company’s previous savings plan, launched in 2012, had involved 15,000 positions but had resulted in an overall headcount reduction of 4,000.<br /><br />Siemens has about 360,000 workers worldwide, with around a third of those in Germany.<br /><br />Unions resisted previous attempts at cuts under Kaeser’s predecessor Peter Loescher, who was pushed out last summer after a series of profit warnings.<br /><br />The IG Metall union – which represents engineering workers – said the 11,600 number has not yet been discussed with them. <br /><br />Kaeser, who has vowed to restore a sense of pride at Siemens, will be keen to avoid a showdown over job cuts that might distract from his ambitious corporate overhaul.<br /><br />with Reuters
