Ericsson withdraws 131 Genoa layoffs after direct intervention by Italian premier Giorgia Meloni

Government intervention and corporate reversal

Swedish telecommunications multinational Ericsson agreed on 5 October 2026 to withdraw a collective redundancy procedure that affected 131 employees at its facility in Genoa. The decision followed direct telephone contact between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ericsson Italy chief executive Andrea Missori. Officials from Palazzo Chigi confirmed that the head of government intervened personally to address the dispute, which had sparked unrest regarding employment levels and the future of the company's research and technology operations in the Ligurian capital.

The formal confirmation of the company's decision came during a crisis meeting convened in Rome at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (Mimit). Ministry officials confirmed that the group agreed to halt the unilateral dismissal process and open a structured framework of discussions regarding its industrial footprint across Italy.

Transition to voluntary exits and relocation

Following the phone call, the Italian government announced that the redundancies would be replaced by consensual restructuring procedures. Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso stated during the ministerial table that the company accepted the government's request to prioritize negotiated solutions.

We are pleased that the company accepted the Prime Minister's request, announcing at the table convened at Mimit the withdrawal of the layoffs and the activation of consensual procedures, with incentivized and voluntary exits.

Under the new framework, the corporate reorganization will rely on voluntary severance packages and internal redeployment. According to details reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, the severance terms involve voluntary exit incentives spanning up to 48 months, alongside opportunities for affected personnel to apply for open positions across other Ericsson sites in Italy and international subsidiaries.

Protest background and site operations

The dispute began when Ericsson launched a collective redundancy plan as part of a broader corporate reorganization, targeting technical staff at the Genoa research site. The planned job cuts generated friction among local staff, who staged demonstrations including a protest in front of the Genoa Boat Show (Salone Nautico) on 1 October 2026 to demand national government intervention.

Government representatives indicated that the executive intervened to prevent tensions from escalating at the expense of the workforce. Palazzo Chigi stated that the resolution establishes a responsible solution that allows both parties to discuss the long-term outlook for the Genoa technological hub and ensure that specialized technical skills remain preserved in Italy.

Political debate and industrial outlook

The government's handling of the intervention drew immediate commentary from opposition figures. Andrea Orlando, former Italian Minister of Labour and current head of industrial policy for the Democratic Party, welcomed the cancellation of the dismissals while criticizing the government's characterization of the controversy.

It is incomprehensible why the Palazzo Chigi note says the call was made to avoid political exploitation. We thought the reason was to avoid layoffs.

Orlando added that if opposition demands for government action were seen as political exploitation, the party was glad to have made them, noting that they had previously directed their appeals directly to Minister Urso. Following the withdrawal of the dismissals, bilateral discussions between Ericsson executives and the Italian government will focus on defining the company's upcoming operational model and preserving skilled jobs within the national telecommunications sector.