NEARLY a hundred employees of Microsoft Corp.’s Nokia unit in Beijing held protests over the weekend against 4,700 planned layoffs, media reported Sunday.

    Microsoft planned to cut most of the 5,000 employees at Nokia’s handset factory and R&D center in Beijing, leaving a staff of only about 300, China National Radio (CNR) quoted an employee as saying.

    Protesters said Microsoft broke its promise not to cut jobs at Nokia during the first year following its acquisition of Nokia’s handset business. They also said Microsoft informed them about their compensation plan as late as two weeks after the notice. They demanded Chinese mainland employees receive equal treatment with those in Taiwan in regard to compensation, the CNR said.

    Microsoft announced last month that it would slash 18,000 jobs worldwide, most of which were to come from the Nokia unit. Microsoft acquired Nokia mobile-phone division in April for US$7.2 billion.(SD-Agencies)