The unions are protesting against an experimental project presented to them by management on November 14. Faced with the economic crisis and the risks incurred by Chinese surcharges, “it informed us of its wish to carry out a trial of bulk shipping and bottling in China, by a local subcontractor”, indicates the CGT, in a press release.
“The long-term consequences would be disastrous for the region. »
“Never seen before”
According to Matthieu Devers, CSE secretary of the CGT at Hennessy, the project plans to send cognac in large volumes, “containers above 200 liters”, with a first shipment scheduled for December 15. “The cognac will then be bottled, labeled and put in a case there,” says the trade unionist.
This announcement caused an immediate outcry. “There was a lot of excitement among the employees,” confirms Matthieu Devers. In twenty years at Hennessy, I have never seen this. »
For the CGT, “nothing can justify this test, as the long-term consequences would be disastrous for the region. Thousands of jobs will be threatened tomorrow if such a project sees the light of day, not only for the employees of our House, but also for all those in the region's industries: glassworks, cardboard making, corking, labels, capsules..” The CGT union of the Cognac glassworks immediately reacted by also calling for mobilization this Tuesday.
With the risk of causing an oil stain. “If Hennessy, leader in the region, opens the door to this possibility, how many other houses will follow suit? », asks the union. “It’s been seen before but never in these proportions. We would give them our tool. We would no longer be a product made in France,” fears Matthieu Devers, for whom “Hennessy’s image would be permanently damaged.”
The BNIC tempers
The unions also fear the Chinese reaction to this attempt to circumvent surcharges. “Aren’t we taking the risk of higher taxation on all types of containers? » Likewise, “will we tomorrow have the same strategy of relocating production to the United States, the largest market in volume for the region”, in the event of new taxes adopted by the Trump administration?
President of the BNIC (and director of institutional affairs at Hennessy), Florent Morillon is less alarmist. If he recalls that “the priority is to continue discussions with the government” to find a diplomatic solution to this trade conflict with China, he finds it “normal that at the same time, companies are thinking about a temporary plan B, even if this is not the ideal solution. Is it better to no longer sell at all and try another method, even if it does not suit us,” he asks, recalling that “it’s an experiment, not a decision.”
