Jeweller Swarovski to cut 400 jobs

At least 400 of a 2,200-strong workforce are set to leave Austrian crystal manufacturer Swarovski at the beginning of 2026, the Tyrol Chamber of Labour (AKT) announced on Thursday. According to the Austrian employee representative body, the number could rise to 500 “if the majority of the remaining workforce does not agree to a reduction in working hours proposed by the group's management”.

“This is a declaration of bankruptcy for the group management's strategy and for the Wattens site,” said AKT president Erwin Zangerl. “It shows that the commitments made by the group's management to the site were, as feared, merely lip service. The future of Swarovski in Wattens is uncertain.”

According to the AKT, Swarovski is said to have made around 600 people redundant between January 2023 and October 2025 and has cut more than 5,000 jobs since 2007.

In addition to the personnel savings, “the majority of night shifts” will also be eliminated, according to the announcement. The Glashütte site will be an exception. Furthermore, the company's own factory transport service, which takes employees to and from the workplace, is also to be cancelled.

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