Source: SinoCast China IT Watch
Date: October 30, 2006
Headline: BenQ Mobile Said to Fire German Executives

Summary: An anonymous employee of BenQ Mobile wrote in an email that "BenQ Mobile terminated labor contracts with several German top executives and asked them to return to the bankrupted company based in Germany, without paying them any economic compensation. The foreign employees expressed their dissatisfaction with the unfair treatment and entrusted lawyers to communicate with BenQ Mobile. It is possible that they will file a lawsuit against BenQ Mobile. The employee also unveiled that BenQ Mobile planned to shift all employees of Beijing R&D center to BenQ China in Suzhou."

Truth of the facts:

• A "manager of BenQ Mobile's Beijing R&D center revealed that BenQ Mobile had reached final agreements with six to seven employees yesterday, and relevant compensation articles had been acknowledged by both of the two parties. The rest German employees will return to Germany in succession.
• "most of German employees of BenQ Mobile's Beijing R&D center were assigned by German Siemens, and their salaries were paid by it in the currency of Euro."
• "the executives were employees of German Siemens, so their legal rights and interests could not be guaranteed in China."
• "They are employees of German Siemens theoretically, and do not have any employment relationship with BenQ Mobile," said a spokesman
• "An employee of the Beijing R&D center confirmed that the news that the center would be moved to Suzhou"