200,000 jobs threatened in France according to the CGT

The CGT is sounding the alarm. In an interview with Echos, to be published on Wednesday, its general secretary, Sophie Binet, warned of a “ very strong acceleration of the deterioration of the situation » in terms of social plans. Mainly in industry, but also in other sectors, with up to 200,000 jobs threatened.

While she spoke in May of 130 social plans, representing 33,021 direct jobs eliminated or “ highly threatened “, then at the beginning of November of nearly 200 social plans and 150,000 jobs threatened, Sophie Binet now mentions ” nearly 250 layoff plans in preparation, affecting between 170,000 and 200,000 jobs “. She fears “ a tidal wave » in the coming months, fearing cascading plans: “ these plans take place mainly in large companies, restructuring risks having consequences on small subcontractors, who are much more numerous », Warns the leader of the CGT.

The sad record of business failures is reached

The automobile and aerospace industry is struggling

This count, carried out based on feedback from workers' union activists, unsurprisingly concerns sectors in crisis, such as the automobile and aerospace industries, but also mass distribution, according to the head of the union center.

In these sectors, the automotive supplier Michelin has, in fact, announced at the beginning of the month, the planned closure before 2026 of two industrial sites in the west of the countryin Cholet (Maine-et-Loire) and Vannes (Brittany), which concerns 1,254 employees. In other sectors, the distributor Auchan, after several difficult years, plans to cut 2,389 jobs in France out of 53,000 in the country, notably through the closure of around ten stores. Finally, on Monday, the steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced plans to close two of the company's sites, in Reims (Marne) and Denain (North), with the elimination of 135 jobs.

Closures at Michelin: employees and unions see red

To explain this rise in social plans, Sophie Binet points out, this Tuesday, “ the responsibility of large companies (which according to her) made the choice during the period of inflation to increase their margins and their prices to increase their dividends “. With the consequence of a drop in investments, a drop in wages in constant euros, “ and therefore a reduction in consumption “. She also takes issue with the supply-side policy pursued since Emmanuel Macron's first five-year term, ” a political shipwreck ”, according to her.

Return of regulated energy prices

Among the emergency measures advocated by Sophie Binet: “ a return to regulated prices » energy for industry, « which takes into account the cost of production » and the investments necessary for the relaunch of nuclear power, the establishment by Europe of customs barriers « more protective “, but also ” a strengthening of the Florange law ».

This law forces companies with more than 1,000 employees who want to close a site to look for a buyer. Sophie Binet proposes to bring within the scope of the law “ companies with 50 or more employees “. Considering that the Florange law, “ does not prevent certain companies from preferring to close their site, rather than cede it to the competition, (it considers) necessary to strengthen the sanctions” in the event of a site closure.

She also proposes that employee representatives also have “their say on takeover projects “. Finally, she believes that it is necessary “ require management to inform Bpifrance of any site closure plans ”, and that the public investment bank “ can also be entered by staff representatives “. In the longer term, she calls for “ real general statements of the industry to put everything back on track ».

(With AFP)