GSK axe begins to fall

By Anna Lewcock
Source: In Pharma

26/10/2007 - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has been swift in implementing its plant cuts, already announcing the first sites to be axed mere hours after revealing its restructuring plans.

GSK unveiled it so-called 'Operational Excellence' programme on Wednesday, cutting sites and streamlining operations to combat falling profits, and by the end of the day had announced that its troubled Cidra, Puerto Rico, plant would be the first to fall to its axe, with news on a number of UK plants fast on its heels.


While GSK has been reluctant to put a number on how many plants or jobs will be lost, and refused to confirm speculation in the UK media that there could be as many as 5,000 job cuts, exchanges between GSK employees on an online blog seem to suggest that sales and marketing could be trimmed by around 1,000 positions.

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Fiddy Rant:

Its always a sad day when a man is stripped of his dignity and told he is no longer required for by his employer. It is tragic also for his family that he will no longer be providing them with the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. His children will suffer through peer pressure at schools, his wife may not be able to afford those expensive trips to have her nails done once a month. He himself may have to now tighten the purse strings and forfeit his beloved pastime. He will no doubt fall into a pit of deep despair if he can't find work again - this will have a knock on effect with his wife and kids and the marriage may become strained, may even become so frustrating that he may fall into depression.

How ironic would it be if an axed member of GlaxoSmithKline was forced to take a drop of his former employers medicine?

The first paragraph pretty much sums up what many Seroxat sufferers have had to endure during their time on and off the 'wonder drug'.

Many have lost their jobs along with their dignity. Many have seen their marriages become a sham because of the lack of understanding by the watching partner who cannot quite understand the violent mood changes in her husband. Many children have watched as their once proud, happy go lucky dad has changed into a moody volatile monster. Many sufferers of this drug thought their nightmare was over once weaning off it. But they didn't forsee the long term effects of taking Seroxat, the sleepless nights, the short term memory loss, the akathesia.

GSK axe jobs. Big fuckin deal!