250 jobs are lost

First layoffs: AMS sends its own team to KTM

"Fortunately, our colleagues are very supportive," says Iris Schmidt. The Managing Director of the AMS Upper Austria is increasing the team in the Innviertel region due to the crisis at KTM.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel (2))

It has been clear for weeks that there would be job cuts at KTM - but now things are happening faster than many had expected. On Monday, the motorcycle manufacturer announced 250 redundancies and a further 500 jobs could be sacrificed as part of the restructuring process. The AMS reacted promptly and is moving in with additional employees in the Innviertel region.

"We are gearing up, are currently pooling employees and asking them to let us know which of the part-time employees can increase their hours and how much overtime can be worked. On the other hand, we are looking at which agendas we can postpone. What is not so important, we will put on the back burner," announced Iris Schmidt, Managing Director of the Upper Austrian Public Employment Service, immediately after the insolvency proceedings were opened at three KTM companies.

It is important that we talk to people and clarify what they themselves want, how they see their own prospects and what they need now.

Iris Schmidt, Geschäftsführerin des AMS OÖ

A total of 750 jobs could be lost
It was clear that there would be job cuts at the motorcycle manufacturer. The extent to which it would take place was and still is unclear, but the first redundancies have already been announced. The company from Mattighofen already parted ways with 250 employees on Monday. A further 500 jobs are likely to be lost in the course of the insolvency proceedings. This means that a total of 750 jobs are at risk of being lost in the coming weeks. Where will the first 250 have to go? There were 200 redundancies at KTM AG and 50 at KTM Components GmbH.

The Public Employment Service is reacting promptly to the latest developments. On Friday, the AMS Braunau team will be reinforced by employees from Linz, who will register the KTM employees' unemployment directly on site.

Aim: "To allay some of the fears of those affected"
"The aim is also to find answers to the many questions that are now unanswered and to allay some of the fears of those affected," says Schmidt. They will be on site throughout Friday, probably even directly at the KTM company premises. If necessary, the reinforced team will also return the following week.

At the same time, the works meetings of the Chamber of Labor's insolvency experts will continue. Today, Wednesday, four more events will take place: in Mattighofen, Schalchen and Munderfing.