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- i)
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Taking account of established policy objectives
This paragraph must be read together with the General Policies chapter which provides that enterprises take fully into account established policies in the countries in which they operate and consider the views of other stakeholders.
When a local subsidiary of a multinational enterprise is to be closed down, a company should seek all necessary information on the country's relevant aims and practices from the government concerned. While this does not affect the right of the enterprise to reach decisions with respect to cutting back or terminating operations in a given plant, certain considerations should be carefully weighed in making such a decision.7
- ii)
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Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice is linked to the recommendation that management co-operate with employee representatives and governmental authorities in order to mitigate the adverse effects of such changes. For such notice to be ``reasonable'', it should be sufficiently timely for the purpose of mitigating action to be prepared and put into effect.8 Notice of changes should be given and the actual changes implemented in such a way that meaningful co-operation can take place.
The Guidelines recognise that the sensitivity of certain business decisions and/or of particular jobs, in terms of possible serious damage to a particular enterprise, is such that it is difficult for management, when considering changes in activities which would have major effects on the livelihood of their employees, to give employee representatives early notice of such changes. However, these considerations would only apply in exceptional circumstances. There is no business sector or business activity where such circumstances can be considered usual.9
- iii)
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Employee representatives
On occasion, enterprises may be faced with a situation where their employees are not represented by trade unions and other bona fide employee representatives. In such cases, enterprises should take all practical steps towards meeting the objectives underlying paragraph 6, within the framework of national laws regulations and prevailing labour relations practices.10
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