In Lorient, Naval Group employees opposed to “social decline” [Vidéo]

Against the backdrop of negotiations for the new company agreement, the standoff continues between Naval Group employees and management. Open since May 24, 2024, negotiations continued this Thursday, June 20 in Nantes. At the same time, on the Lorient site, nearly 600 employees according to the inter-union (CGT, CFDT, Unsa and CFE-CGC), 400 according to management, walked off the job at the end of the morning. “They are making proposals to us which, currently, are not acceptable. They want to scale everything down,” comments Thierry Jaouen, CFDT delegate.

This is the third time since May that employees have observed a one-hour walkout. A new round of discussion is planned for July 2 and 3, still in Nantes. “But things are going badly,” assures Bruno Le Nézet, general secretary of the CGT Arsenal. “They are playing for time, there will be no negotiations during the summer.” They will resume in September, with the agreement having to be signed before January 2025.

When you make the most complex products in the world, like nuclear submarines, you can’t pay people cheap.

High level agreement desired

This Thursday, in order to influence the negotiations, walkouts took place in Cherbourg, Toulon and Brest. In front of the gates of the Lorient site, Porte Colbert, where the procession left a little earlier from the left bank in Lanester, the employees listened to the speeches. Salary scale and union rights are among the main demands. “Regarding the organization of working time, we are in limbo because management is not announcing anything,” says Thierry Jaouen.

“All the sites are on strike to obtain a company agreement of high social level with real career development, real remuneration because we have specific professions. When we manufacture the most complex products in the world, like nuclear submarines, we cannot pay people a discount,” says Bruno Le Nézet.

Promote the attractiveness of the company and the professional development of employees.

“Sustaining a social system”

Contacted by Le Télégramme, the management of Naval Group Lorient announced that it was a matter of “negotiating a global company agreement adapted to the needs of the company and employees”. She explains that she wants to “perpetuate a strong social system that is economically neutral”. Management “reaffirms its commitment to quality social dialogue” and argues that this new agreement must “promote the attractiveness of the company and the professional development of employees”. Minimum basic annual salary for non-executives of €30,000 and executives of €40,000, maintenance of the seniority bonus for non-executives, individual variable remuneration for executives or even “possibility of evolving in his job, profession” constitute some of the “guarantees of a strong social base” proposed.

The inter-union denounces a “social decline” while the economic situation is described as good. “Naval Group can rely on visions of workload plans for 20, 30, 40 years,” assures Bruno Le Nezet. The inter-union urges Naval Group to “stop playing arm wrestling”