Oss, Netherlands: "Power To The People -- Right On!"

Or, at least for now -- it is (and "the people", from the Vietnam-era early '70s protest song [CLICK IT*, to hear a snip!], would be the Dutch Works Council). Until December 31, 2010, Merck will discuss alternatives to closing the Organon-cum-Schering-Plough-cum-New-Merck BioSciences facilities, per Ed, at Pharmalot:

. . . .The downsizing, which involved closing three sites employing more than 2,100 people, was actually part of the large layoffs planned by Merck after purchasing Schering-Plough, which had previously acquired Organon. . . . Last month, Organon employees announced that, every day at noon, five workers at the R&D facility in Oss would leave their desks and labs, and walk to Oss town hall to complain. The widely publicized action was expected to continue for months. The Oss plant makes ingredients for the Saphris antipsychotic [and birth control hormones, among other API and finished compounds].

For now, Merck has agreed to negotiate alternatives, including a possible sale. "A lot of options are being considered. We are looking at every serious option that presents itself," a Merck spokeswoman tells Reuters. . . .

This would make those rumors of last month appear much more credible. Let's hope the outcome is an intact sale deal.

It still baffles me that Merck so completely bungled this situation (could it be a legacy Schering-Plough hangover?). . . I dunno.



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* EVEN MORE TRIVIA: Here is an updated cover of it, as a "Save Darfur" campaign version of the standard, by the Black-Eyed Peas. Click the "Play Sample" button to hear it.