An angry Sony Australia PR executive has said that Sony Australia who earlier this month laid off 32 people has not initiated additional security measures in Australia following the kidnapping of the CEO of Sony France by laid off Sony workers.
Despite being given the opportunity to comment when ChannelNews was first told by of the issue by a Sony Australia executive, both Jenny Geddes and CEO Carl Rose refused to return media calls yesterday which appear to have become a common practise at Sony since the axing of 32 staff in Australia.
During an angry telephone call with ChannelNews Geddes, who has not returned more than 8 calls made to her since the axing of staff demanded that the original story concerning the kidnapping and the alleged introduction of additional security in Australia (See ChannelNews story) be pulled.
“It is all lies the story in France is old hat and not relevant in Australia. Who in Australia told you about additional security measures I demand to know” she said.
In France Serge Foucher, CEO of Sony France, and Roland Bentz, head of human resources, were kidnapped and held for 18 hours by angry Sony employees after they were told that they were about to be sacked.
When Geddes was asked whether Sony Australia was concerned about security following the incident in France and the fact that Sony who are reeling from losses are laying off thousands of employees around the world including Australia she said “It is irrelevant I demand to know who you spoke to at Sony Australia”.
When it was put to Geddes that Sony Australia appeared to put a higher priority on product PR and brand spin than on the welfare of employees who had recently been axed she said “It is up to us what we do and say”.
Earlier this month Sony Australia issued a 98 word email concerning the axing of 32 local employees this compares to regular 1000 world press releases for new products. Both CEO Carl Rose and senior PR executives of Sony have refused to return calls on the issue of the sackings in Australia.
A senior executive at Sony Australia has told ChannelNews that the Company is extremely concerned that their brand image is being tarnished following the axing of staff globally. “They are bunkered down and their PR strategy is to say nothing. Anyone caught talking to the media will be in for the high jump”.
Sony Australia has four in-house PR staff as well as a major team of consultants via Hausmann Communications. This compares to one internal PR executive for Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Toshiba.
Among the in-house team at Sony Australia are Jenny Geddes, Nina Hearne, Kelly Finlay and Claire Wong.
If you were laid off at Sony or know anyone who was laid off please send an email to dwr@4squaremedia.com
