Florian Alexandre has already experienced several areas of turbulence at Auchan. “Over the past twenty years, I have seen seven Employment Protection Plans (PSE) and three voluntary departure plans pass,” said this CFDT activist from the Trignac store. This time, Auchan, which employs around 54,000 people in France, plans to cut 784 positions in its headquarters and 915 in stores.
What will happen in Loire-Atlantique? Employees will no doubt know what to expect this Wednesday, November 6, after the holding of an extraordinary CSE. In the department, the Auchan Retail group has three stores, in Trignac, Saint-Herblain and Saint-Sébastien. The Trignac hypermarket, which employs 280 employees, is not threatened with closure, but will still be affected by the restructuring, says Didier Gandon, FO union representative at the site. The former Casino Océanis in Saint-Nazaire, which moved to Auchan in January, will not be affected.
Thirty-six down
According to Didier Gandon, thirty-six advisor positions in the household appliances centers could disappear in the three Loire-Atlantique stores. Twelve fewer each, for the benefit of self-service. “I’ve been working for the brand for thirty-eight years, it’s tough”confides the trade unionist.
In Sillon-de-Bretagne, Christophe Jolivet, the director of Auchan Herblinois, just assured that the major redevelopment project of the site, with an open-air shopping mall and landscaping, would not be affected. But he did not comment on the threatened positions.
“In 2019, there were 1,068 employees here in Loire-Atlantique, explains Florian Alexandre, who did his accounts. In November 2023, the workforce was 225 fewer, roughly. 225 in less than four years! »
The fault, he says, is the unreplaced retirements, or the numerous resignations due to deteriorating working conditions. Particularly with the implementation of automatic checkouts, which involves more stressful positions for employees. Also because of reduced premiums: “There are almost none left. »
