Moforola wants ex-employees to stay unemployed
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Quote) (NT.N: Quote) incoming president and chief executive, Mike
Zafirovski, has been sued by Motorola Inc. (MOT.N: Quote), his former
employer, the companies said on Wednesday.
The lawsuit, which does not name Nortel as a defendant, alleges
Zafirovski broke agreements by accepting the top position with Nortel
and that his new role will inevitably result in the disclosure of
Motorola's trade secrets.
Brampton, Ontario-based Nortel, which was the first to announce
Motorola's action, also said the lawsuit, filed in Illinois, sought an
injunction to prevent Zafirovski from working for the telecoms giant
for two years, and from soliciting or hiring Motorola employees.
"Nortel and Zafirovski are currently reviewing the lawsuit and intend
to pursue discussions with Motorola with a view to resolving the
dispute over Zafirovski's appointment," Nortel said in a statement.
Jennifer Weyrauch, a spokeswoman for Schaumburg, Illinois-based
Motorola, confirmed the company had gone to court.
"We take these matters seriously and we will do what's necessary to
protect Motorola." Weyrauch told Reuters.
Zafirovski was named on Monday to replace Bill Owens, who led Nortel
for about 18 months after it emerged from a long-running accounting
scandal that tarnished its reputation, felled its share price and
forced it to fire several top executives.
Zafirovski, 51, is scheduled to assume his new duties with Nortel on
November 15. Analysts have praised the appointment.
He was president and chief operating officer of Motorola from 2002
until January, was credited with turning around the No. 2 maker of
mobile handsets' mainstay business.
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