Maubeuge blows, Choisy fights. Employees of the Renault North plant, which had been on strike since Friday, resumed work on Wednesday after "reassuring news", while those in Val-de-Marne are still mobilizing the announced closure of their site.
“We had reassuring news which we shared with the employees, even if we remain suspicious. We won the battle, but we did not win the war, ”Yannick Charlesege (CFTC) told Maubeuge. "Following commitments from Renault and the government, employees have decided to resume activity on the site," confirmed Jérôme Delvaux (CGT).
Delegations from all over France
The government approved on Tuesday a guaranteed loan of 5 billion euros to help Renault overcome the coronavirus crisis. In return, the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire was pleased to have obtained the preservation of employment and industrial capacity on the Maubeuge site.
This same Wednesday, a spontaneous demonstration gathering the striking workers of the site of Renault in Choisy-le-Roi, supported by their central union delegates and the leader of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, took place Wednesday in the city.
Around "300 people", site workers on strike since the previous day, supported by the central delegates of the four trade union organizations (CFE-CGC, FO, CFDT, CGT) as well as "delegations from all over France" and Philippe Martinez "Set off spontaneously across the city towards the station to express their dissatisfaction," Franck Daout, CFDT central delegate, told AFP.
262 worried employees in Choisy
“The management remains painfully silent; we asked for it in vain in order to spark at least a dialogue and to calm the spirits ”, he added. The employees of Choisy, 262 in total, protest against the fate promised to their site, the only one, out of the 14 of the industrial group in France, the definitive closure of which was announced at this stage by 2022 as part of the plan savings from the automaker. Its activity must be transferred to the Flins site (Yvelines).
The president of Renault Jean-Dominique Senard "knew how to mobilize for Maubeuge, Caudan, Dieppe but not for Choisy", he regretted, announcing the holding of a "new demonstration on Saturday (in Choisy) in the presence of elected officials of the city ”.
Martinez employee of Renault "for 38 years"
At the same time, the automaker's factory, which specializes in the renovation and reconditioning of engines and gearboxes, remained “blocked”.
Philippe Martinez wanted to emphasize his "attachment to Renault" where he has been employed "for 38 years". "I have known a lot of CEOs who were announcing the mountains and wonders for the future of the brand and we see in what situation they left the group and unfortunately, with successive governments, shareholders of the company - since the State owns 15% - and who have always behaved like good shareholders who first thought of dividends before employment and […] the working conditions of employees, ”he added.
"Lack of consultation"
The unions denounce "the absence of consultation" and call for the opening of "discussions guaranteeing a future for all sites and its employees", on the basis of a "strong and transparent industrial strategy" which "responds to the social, societal and environmental challenges ”.
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In financial difficulty and victim of the collapse of the automotive market, Renault announced Friday the loss of 15,000 jobs worldwide, including 4,600 in France, with voluntary departures and without layoffs, as part of its economic plan more than 2 billion euros, until 2023.
VIDEO. Renault: Choisy-le-Roi plant blocked by striking workers
