“the account is not there” for employees

Impériales Wheels employees now know a little more about their immediate future, six days after the liquidation of the last French manufacturer of aluminum rims, in Diors, in Indre. On Wednesday June 26, 2024, more than a hundred of them, out of the 166 remaining, attended, in the courtyard of their former factory, an information meeting led by the liquidator appointed by the Villefranche commercial court. sur-Saône (Rhône).

“We will receive our dismissal letter in the first half of July”, revealed Fabien, 60 years old, at the end of forty-five minutes of discussions. From then on, two choices will be available to employees, to be decided within 21 days: either join the professional security contract (CSP), that is to say a set of measures allowing accelerated reclassification proposed by France Travail , or choose to benefit from the return to work assistance allowance (ARE).

Salaries paid until September

“I’m four months from retirement, I’m still not going to take the CSP”thought Fabien. Like him, many people were wondering. Patrice Rabaté, CGT consultant in social relations, strongly advised ” to all “ to choose the first option, more advantageous according to him in terms of monthly compensation.

Another announcement made this Tuesday by the liquidator: the employees learned that they will receive a salary for the next three months and their balance of all accounts in September. ” It’s reassuring, Antonio reacted, twenty years in the box behind him. With the CSP, I want to follow training and probably do something else. »

Operation snail

However, the page is not turned. This Tuesday marked the start of the job protection plan (PSE) with first meetings with the liquidator and staff representatives. The document of more than fifty pages will define the conditions of departure and reclassification of ex-Impériales Wheels employees.

Tuesday morning, around fifty vehicles carried out a snail operation in the town center of Châteauroux. Party of Poinçonnet, which was to host the new production site from 1^is July, the procession then reached the Diors factory. Objective: to build pressure before the start of negotiations. “Because the account is not there”warned several employees.

The lawyer presents on Friday

In fact, the first figures mentioned are far from meeting their requirements. “There are €250,000 for the PSE, or €1,500 per person, that’s a pittanceannoyed Antony Babarczi, CGT union delegate. While there remains €1.8 million in the company’s accounts. » Since the outcome had become inevitable for Impériales Wheels, the unions have continued to demand that the €10 million in public aid not yet paid out of the sixty mobilized by the State be used to compensate and support the 166 employees on the floor. “We need it, we will work with our lawyer”confirms Thierry Pacôme, CFE-CGC delegate. This is expected on Friday, at Poinçonnet.

In the meantime, the employees have decided to maintain the blockade of the entrance to the Poinçonnois site, “to prevent the former management from coming to recover the remaining equipment and, undoubtedly, important documentsjustify Benoît and José. Because if they manage to release even one wheel, they will sell the process and make more money off our backs. » The occupation will last “as long as there are no seals”.