Hundreds of CureVac employees are facing profound cuts following the announced closure of the site.
At the same time, discussions about the possible liquidation of the biotech company headquartered in Tübingen are in full swing.
A task force formed by the state government wants to secure infrastructure and know-how in the university city and give employees “a perspective and keep at least some of the top talent at the location,” said a spokesman for the State Ministry in Stuttgart.
The task force therefore consists of the science and economics ministries, the state ministry, the Federal Employment Agency and the state agency Biopro, which supports the health industry in the southwest. The city of Tübingen is also closely involved in the discussions.
Tight timetable for decisions
The CureVac works council speaks of a tight schedule by the management of BioNTech in Mainz. Around two thirds of the jobs will be eliminated by the end of 2026. The aim is to stop Curevac’s operations on December 31st, said the deputy chairwoman of CureVac’s joint works council, Heike Wagenaar.
In September, the employees who are due to leave this year would receive an offer to conclude a termination agreement. This increases decision-making pressure and planning uncertainty. A smaller part of the workforce should complete ongoing studies and shut down systems in 2027. “The management hasn’t really been cooperative so far,” says Wagenaar. There are no serious negotiations, for example about better support programs for employees.
BioNTech emphasizes that it is focusing on socially acceptable staff reductions and corresponding support programs. According to a spokeswoman, there is, among other things, a program for those affected in the sense of socially acceptable staff reductions.
No comparable employer in sight
Despite the announced job cuts, only a few employees have so far left the company. From the works council’s perspective, there is a simple reason for this: there is a lack of comparable jobs in the region. “There are no pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies here that generously hire people with these qualifications,” says Wagenaar.
Highly specialized specialists, young families and trainees are particularly affected. In addition to the university and the university hospital, CureVac is one of the most important players on site. “There isn’t that much industry in Tübingen,” says Wagenaar.
BioNTech took over CureVac completely in January. At that time it was said that the research and development location in Tübingen should be retained. But BioNTech management wants to close several locations – including CureVac facilities.
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TÜBINGEN/MAINZ (dpa-AFX)
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