Wave of suicides at Orange: in 2 years, 30 employees have taken their own lives… Unions are sounding the alarm

Over the past two years, around 30 Orange employees, out of a total of 65,000, have committed suicide, according to the unions, who point to the ongoing restructuring as a triggering factor. Although the reasons for each suicide can be multiple and complex, employee representatives make the link with the increase in workload and employees' concerns about their professional future. Findings supported by reports from occupational doctors in 2023 consulted by Franceinfo.

Unions fear a repeat of the crisis of the 2000s at France Telecom, marked by a series of suicides and social tragedies linked to massive restructuring. They are therefore calling for a moratorium to slow down the transformation process. Orange management, however, refused. The CFDT, one of the unions, is cautious and avoids drawing a direct parallel with the France Telecom crisis, however emphasizing the need to remain vigilant.

500 people work on risk prevention in Orange

Faced with these accusations, Vincent Lecerf, director of human resources, defends the changes underway: “The company must transform,” he tells our colleagues at Franceinfo. He emphasizes that suicides are taken seriously and discussed up to the board of directors, as last October.

Each case of suicide is the subject of an internal investigation, and Orange ensures that it has put in place significant support systems since the 2009 crisis. “There are 500 people who work on risk prevention, more than 50 doctors , psychologists, social workers, safety engineers,” explains Vincent Lecerf.