Sunrise considers up to 450 further job cuts

Up to 450 Sunrise employees could lose their jobs, adding a major new round of restructuring to Switzerland's telecommunications sector. The Glattbrugg, Zurich-based operator said on September 21, 2026, that it is reviewing its operating model and considering the elimination of nearly 16% of its 2,900-strong workforce.

The proposed reduction would come on top of 147 positions that Sunrise announced earlier in the year and completed during the summer. If the company proceeds with the full plan, as many as 600 jobs could disappear in 2026.

Sunrise, Switzerland's second-largest telecommunications provider, linked the move to changing market conditions and technological developments. It said the restructuring should produce “substantial savings” over the medium term, although it has not disclosed a financial target.

The announcement places pressure on employees and their representatives as Sunrise prepares to open the statutory consultation process in the fourth quarter. The company has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of the affected roles, leaving the scale of the impact clear while the distribution remains undecided.

The potential total of 600 job losses reflects a two-stage cost drive, rather than a single isolated announcement. Sunrise completed its first reduction of 147 positions in the summer. The company is now examining a further cut of up to 450 full-time roles as it redesigns how the business operates.

Chief Financial Officer Jany Fruytier told the AWP news agency in August that the cuts already implemented were expected to reduce staff costs by around 5%. Sunrise has not said how much additional savings the new plan could generate.

The company also has not clarified whether every role in the latest figure is additional to the earlier 147 positions. Keystone-SDA reported the proposed reduction as a further major round, while Sunrise's cumulative figure could reach 600 if the two measures are counted together.

The review reflects the cost pressures facing established telecoms operators. Networks require sustained investment, while customer expectations, digital services and automation continue to change the work required inside the company. Sunrise says it wants to strengthen operational execution and its market position as those trends develop.

Frontline teams are expected to escape most of the proposed cuts, at least under the outline Sunrise has provided. Staff in retail shops, sales and customer service should be largely unaffected, and the company said apprentices will not be affected.

That leaves the likely impact concentrated elsewhere in the organisation, although Sunrise has not identified specific departments or job categories. The distinction matters in a business that combines customer-facing operations with network management, technology, administration and corporate functions. Employees in those areas will now await details through the consultation process.

Sunrise said it intends to consult employee representatives and Syndicom during the fourth quarter of 2026, as required under Swiss labour law. The union's involvement will give workers a formal channel to challenge the plan, suggest alternatives and seek information about selection criteria and support measures.

Until that process begins, the headline figure remains a maximum rather than a final tally. Sunrise could decide on fewer reductions, alter the affected roles or adjust the timetable after discussions with staff representatives. The company has offered no further regional breakdown, so the effects on Zurich and other Swiss locations cannot yet be measured.

Sunrise's announcement adds to a wider wave of planned job reductions in Switzerland. Companies across several industries have announced or prepared cuts, putting employment and restructuring back at the centre of the national economic debate.

Telecommunications faces particular pressure from technological change. Syndicom has recently examined the impact of artificial intelligence on ICT jobs, noting that new tools are already becoming part of the sector's working environment. Sunrise did not attribute the proposed reductions directly to artificial intelligence, but it cited emerging technological trends as one reason for reviewing its operating model.

The next decisive stage will be the consultation planned for the fourth quarter. Workers and Syndicom will seek clarity on which functions are affected, how Sunrise will select roles and what support the company will offer employees who leave. The outcome will determine whether the announced maximum becomes the final number.

For Switzerland's labour market, the episode offers a concrete measure of how large service companies are adapting to digital competition and cost demands. Sunrise remains a major national provider, serving customers through shops, sales teams, service channels and technical infrastructure. Any final restructuring will therefore reach beyond the company’s internal payroll and into the communities where those operations are based.