Amazon renounces appeal to cassation after agreement with unions

Amazon, which has started reopening its French warehouses, which have been closed for more than a month following court orders ordering it to carry out a risk assessment related to the coronavirus, announced Tuesday that it would give up appealing to the Court of Cassation.

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Welcoming in a press release the reopening on Tuesday of its warehouse in Brétigny-sur-Orge (Essonne), the management of Amazon France says it is "delighted that the dialogue with the representatives of the staff, led in a logic of continuous improvement, allow 'lead to a peaceful and lasting recovery ".

Abandonment of remedies

"At the end of the consultation, the two parties agreed to abandon the pending appeals," added the press release, adding that "this includes the decision to bring our case to the Court of Cassation".

The six Amazon warehouses in France had been closed since April 16, after two judgments enjoining the company to carry out a risk assessment related to the coronavirus with employee representatives. The Court of Appeal of Versailles had confirmed on April 24 an order of April 14 which asked Amazon to limit itself while waiting for essential products (data processing, health, nutrition, groceries ...) under penalty of 100,000 euros per infraction.

The online commerce giant, deeming it impossible to comply with this constraint without risking an offense, preferred to close its warehouses, while continuing to deliver from its platforms abroad. Justice pointed to security breaches, especially in the locker rooms or at the entrance gates and especially asked Amazon to consult the staff representatives and not to impose measures unilaterally.

Safe sites

An agreement was finally reached on Friday with the trade union organizations CFDT, CGT, FO and SUD. "Our sites are safe and always have been," said the statement on Tuesday. Following a consultation and information procedure with the socio-economic committees of the company, they "were able to resume their activity with a base of measures already in place before the suspension of activity, to which some adjustments could have been made ".

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The recovery to 100% should be spread over three weeks, employees returning to work "on a voluntary basis", said Tuesday the director general of Amazon France, Frédéric Duval.