Since Tuesday morning, the Fonderie de Bretagne, installed in Caudan since 1965, has been blocked by employees to request their retention within the Renault automotive group.
This factory with 350 employees which manufactures suspension arms, exhaust manifolds and elbows as well as gearbox differentials was put up for sale by the automaker in mid-March after the announcement of its reduction plan. costs following a loss of 8 billion euros in 2020.
At midday on Tuesday, seven members of management were prevented from leaving the plant.
The group condemned this blockage and called for calm.
In the evening, around 10:30 p.m., the executives were finally able to leave the site.
CGT delegate Maël Le Goff explained to France Bleu that it was not at all a sequestration, just an attempt at dialogue which flopped.
“They could go out whenever they wanted.
We asked for a frank discussion, but we were unable to discuss with them all day.
There was never any question of kidnapping.
Usually they go out at 9 p.m., then they go out at 10 p.m.
They stayed all day saying that they were being held captive, which is absolutely not true.
", he added.
"We want a frank discussion"
The mayor of Caudan, Fabrice Vély, has a different interpretation but he is especially worried about the situation which could continue: “It could last a few days. They are still very upset, ”he explained. According to Renault management, "the search for a buyer is currently under way in order to maintain the site's activities and ensure the sustainability of jobs". On site, the production and shipping of parts remain blocked. "We want a frank and firm discussion with the management of Renault and the prefecture", explains the delegate of the CGT.
This blockage comes at a time when many automotive subcontractors, in particular foundries, are in great difficulty, in particular because of the shift in the automotive market towards electric vehicles. On Monday, the government announced a fund of 50 million euros to support the retraining of employees in the automotive sector. Manufacturers Renault and Stellantis will contribute 10 million each, and regions will be invited to participate as well.
Already, three automotive suppliers from Vienne and Indre belonging to the Alvance group of the Indo-British Sanjeev Gupta have been placed in receivership. These are the two aluminum and cast iron units of Fonderies du Poitou, in Ingrandes near Châtellerault, as well as Alvance Aluminum Wheels, in Diors near Châteauroux. These equipment manufacturers have a total of some 850 employees. In Ingrandes, two units are located one next to the other: Liberty Fonte whose production of diesel housings is no longer carrying and whose closing was already recorded, and Liberty Alu, which manufactures in particular cylinder heads, a more promising product. The Diors site specializes in the manufacture of car rims.
