Giant pure-play foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has told its workers they will have to take unpaid leave as orders continue to dry up.

A report in the Taipei Times said that the firm's CEO told the workers yesterday that the last quarter of this year showed a rapid decline in sales.

Workers in the fabrication plants (fabs) will have to take five unpaid days a month starting now, while in January all other staff will be forced to take off at least one day a week.

CEO Rick Tsai said in a video broadcast to staff that economic weakness will last for a time and must cut costs to survive the recession. There's more here. X