BOCHOLT, Germany, April 1 (UPI) -- Siemens said Thursday it is considering moving up to 5,000 German jobs to countries with lower labor costs.
The technology giant made the announcement in Bocholt, Germany, five days after several hundred workers protested what they perceived to be the potential they could lose their positions,the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports.
Siemens said it intends to move a total of 2,500 jobs in non-mobile communications, mobile communications and energy transfer and distribution from its German offices.
In addition, the company faces pressure to move greater parts of its light-rail train construction into the countries buying the trains.
Product changes will require other moves in the company's hardware division.
Automation in Siemens' south German flat module production facilities is set to reduce the company's workforce by about 300.
Siemens said the total number of jobs potentially in danger is 5,000.
Unions, including the powerful IG Metall metal and electronics workers union, predict even greater losses, saying the company's automotive components section could cut 4,000 jobs and its tech support sector could cut another 1,000.
Siemens, which employs a total of 167,000 Germans, denied the possibility of those cuts.
