“These decisions constitute an unprecedented social shock for the company’s employees”writes the CGT Auchan France in a press release. Since the announcement of their convocation by Auchan, the unions have feared a vast social plan. It is now confirmed: 2,389 jobs will be eliminated throughout the country (including 138 already vacant).
Among them, 466 positions are threatened by the closure of ten stores: three hypermarkets (in Clermont-Ferrand Nord, Woippy, Bar-le-Duc), a supermarket in Aurillac and six MyAuchan convenience stores (the location of which is not yet specified ). Under the Florange law, the brand has six months to find a potential buyer and save jobs. But while less than a month ago, 19 Casino stores closed permanently due to lack of recovery, nothing is less certain.
Job cuts at all levels
For their part, the 5,000 employees of the 98 Casinos reinvested by Auchan are not affected, in accordance with the commitments made by the brand: collective agreements and agreements cannot be called into question for 15 months after the change of owner. This recovery strategy despite the difficulties of the Mulliez empire is fully supported. It made it possible to “consolidate Auchan’s territorial footprint, strengthen the brand where it was barely present”we explain at Auchan.
As for the other hypermarkets, targeted by restructuring, 915 jobs are threatened. This includes in particular the elimination of all sales advisors, payroll planning and management managers, some of the sales managers and the positions of multi-site security managers. “Management wants to eliminate advisor positions in the household appliances division and move everything to self-service, confirms the Force Ouvrière (FO) union representative at Auchan Trignac, Didier Gandon. In each of the three Loire-Atlantique stores (Trignac, Saint-Herblain and Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire), this concerns around a dozen positions. Or 36 positions for the department. »
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Other employees (224) will undergo the closure of three warehouses (Lyon, Paris, Lille) which were used for home delivery logistics (Auchan ECommerce), now the responsibility of drives. Finally, Auchan plans to eliminate 784 positions via the pooling of the support functions of Auchan France, Auchan International and the International Products Department.
Long-standing economic difficulties
The fifth French distributor justifies this vast social plan by its poor results since 2012, with “a constant decline in store traffic”. Over the period, and before the integration of the Casinos, its market share fell from 12.1% to 8%, while its revenues fell by 2.26 billion euros. “The hypermarket format is being called into question, and over-represented in the group, so mechanically this has a negative impact on Auchan, explains a source close to the group. We need to rethink the model. »
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Auchan highlights high headquarters and staff costs. The objective is thus to limit its operating costs and continue the alliance with Intermarché to be more competitive on prices. The brand also plans to reduce the size of around sixty of its stores by 25%. “to move towards 8,000 m2” maximum. And wants “invent new store models”with more local specificities, and cost optimization. A test is underway in Bordeaux, and could be gradually extended from spring 2025.
“Despite and a lot of questions”
At the end of the announcement meeting, Gilles Martin, union delegate at the CFDT, faces “disappointment and a lot of questions for the next negotiations. » The union's demands? “Reclassify as many exposed employees as possible. »
“We are obviously worried”testifies Didier Gandon. Two years before retirement, this 62-year-old FO employee and union representative is also still affected by the announcement. “I have been working for the brand for 38 years. It's rough. »
The Minister of Economy and Finance, who considers this news “concerning”, affirmed that the State will ensure that “employment remains at the heart of the strategy” of the group. Auchan, for its part, claims the creation of 319 jobs, including 114 to strengthen drives and 205 as part of pooling, with an internal search for profiles to fill them.
“Discussions are only starting with the social partners. Negotiations should open next week, with a new convening of the bodies concerned. explains a source close to the group. Several months of talks are therefore to be expected, first for voluntary departures, early retirements, then for reclassification or retraining measures.
Suspended on possible announcements from management in the coming days, union delegates at FO are organizing on WhatsApp to share the latest news and best inform employees. In a press release, they denounce: “It is unacceptable that employees are still paying the price for the poor strategic choices of management disconnected from reality. » In four years, this is the second social plan that Auchan employees have undergone. “There is an inconsistency in strategy that employees do not understand”scolds Didier Gandon.
