Electronics giant Philips, industrial group VDL and Nedcar are in talks with unions on placing hundreds of workers on part-time unemployment benefit (WW), the Financieele Dagblad reports on Monday.

The VDL group wants to place some 2,000 staff at 19 different companies on part-time benefit. However, the paper says, one complication may be that the company does not intend to make up the difference between benefits and current salary for the affected staff.
Philips plans to introduce part time benefit for up to 600 workers at its Eindhoven, Middelburg and Uden lighting operations. The company is prepared to make sure staff are not hit financially, the paper says.
Car maker Nedcar is also in talks with unions on short-time working for staff, the paper says.