The unions feared the social plan, it is confirmed by Auchan. A draft social plan was presented this Tuesday, November 5 to staff representatives this Tuesday morning. In total, 2,389 jobs are threatened and around ten stores are also expected to close
In difficulty for several years, Auchan announced that it had presented this Tuesday, November 5, a draft social plan which threatens 2,389 jobs in France, also involving the closure of around ten stores. Among these job cuts, 784 concern headquarters and 915 concern stores.
Before the official announcement, Franck Martinaud, FO retail union representative, declared: “We have already had numerous job protection plans, but none have exceeded 1,000 positions, if that is the number, it is enormous.” A figure which therefore reaches 2,389 jobs threatened
End of home delivery activity
It is also the end of the home delivery service which results in the elimination of 224 positions. Among the stores “unprofitable” affected by the closures, the hypermarkets in Clermont-Ferrand Nord (Puy-de-Dôme), Woippy (Moselle) and Bar-le-Duc (Meuse) and a supermarket in Aurillac, in Cantal.
Management nevertheless announced plans to create 114 positions in “drive” activities and 205 within support functions. “This is not a degrowth project that we want to manage, lowering costs is a means, not an end” explains Guillaume Darasse, boss of Auchan.
Management also hopes to limit the number of redundancies through support for the employees concerned, retraining training, reclassification leave and voluntary departure plan.
The hypermarket system, in which Auchan specialized, is clearly less popular. The brand's market shares are thus far behind its competitors. Auchan also found itself in difficulty with rumors of a sale of the Russian subsidiary while the national difficulties were covered by international activities. In September 2020, a social plan had eliminated 1,475 positions and in January 2020, a voluntary departure plan concerned 500 positions.
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