GE Healthcare attributes new Wisconsin layoffs to weak U.S. market

GE Healthcare is expected to layoff between 35 to 40 employees in Madison, Wis., which are being attributed to weakness in the U.S. healthcare market. The current round of layoffs follows a larger round that took place in late June, affecting approximately 400 employees in its Waukesha, Wis., facility.

Sources at GE told the Capitol Times that employees were offered buyouts last month, but not enough workers took them, forcing the layoffs. Employees were notified of the cuts in a company-wide meeting July 17.

The company has approximately 900 workers at various locations throughout Wisconsin.

"This has been an extremely tough year for GE Healthcare," said Brian McKaig, GE Healthcare’s director of public relations, in a July 18 statement.

"There is an overall weakness in the U.S. healthcare market, with governments, insurance companies and state legislatures taking a number of actions aimed at reducing the amount spent on hospital procedures. In addition, since 2007, the U.S. market for anesthesia equipment has experienced a slowdown,” McKaig noted.

“Consequently there will be a limited number of GE Healthcare production job losses in the Madison area. This is a difficult but necessary action to remain competitive, reduce costs, and adjust our production capacity to market demands,” McKaig said.

 

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