Evolution Gaming Group has reached an agreement with the General Workers Union to offer alternative employment to at least 40 employees with the rest being given an improved €750 severance payment.

In a press statement released this afternoon, the General Workers Union (GWU) said it has successfully negotiated with Evolution to safeguard jobs “to the extent that this was possible” while improving the severance package to those NetEnt employees affected by the job cuts.

The renegotiated severance is an improvement to the severance offer previously negotiated with an employee representative, with each affected employee receiving an additional payment of €750.

Other benefits include better safeguards for employees currently on maternity leave and the availability of the company’s health benefit package to affected employees.

GWU members who are affected by these redundancies, occasioned by restructuring in the gaming sector, overwhelmingly approved the revised severance offer.

324 employees of gaming company NetEnt were declared redundant following the company’s acquisition by Swedish gaming giant Evolution Gaming Group.

The GWU, representing the majority of NetEnt employees in Malta, had earlier filed an application before Malta’s Superior Courts, requesting an injunction to prevent the company from implementing any form of redundancy or from terminating any employment. The First Hall, Civil Court had provisionally accepted the union’s injunction.

Following consultations with the GWU, Evolution Gaming Group has now accepted to offer alternative employment to at least 40 employees within the coming weeks.

Another 60 employees are expected to be absorbed by gaming and financial services operators in Malta.

Negotiations for the GWU were conducted by Josef Bugeja (Secretary General), Kevin Camilleri (Deputy Secretary General), Riccarda Darmanin (Section Secretary), with the legal support of Aron Mifsud Bonnici.

GWU Secretary General Josef Bugeja stated that “we negotiated intensely and with determination. We saved jobs to the extent that this was possible. We ensured that all those who are being let go are suitably compensated.”

He thanked Evolution CEO Martin Carlsund, and company legal advisor Paul Gonzi for their collaboration in reaching a satisfactory agreement.

The GWU today withdrew the court injunction, with the legal and industrial dispute being thus resolved.