At the height of the season, the ski lift staff union at the Orcières Merlette station (Hautes-Alpes) called on Friday for a renewable strike starting on Sunday which could result in the closure of the slopes.
The call for a strike by Force Ouvrière (FO), the sole representative of the ski lift staff at the Champsaur station, an area which borders the Écrins National Park, occurs on the first weekend of the winter holidays in zone B , which brings together Aix-Marseille and Nice, where, according to the Orcières tourist office, 50% of visitors come from each season.
The mobilization is based on a
“recognition of failure”
at the end of the obligatory annual negotiations (NAO) with the employer of the ski lift staff, Semilom Resort, explained FO union delegate Thomas Bessire to AFP.
Increase in salaries and meal and transport bonuses for staff
The union is demanding an increase in salaries and meal and transport bonuses for staff, deeming management's proposal
“to apply a collective increase of 4.5%”
insufficient .
“This is catching up with past years but we must go further
,” according to Mr. Bessire.
Among the 30 permanent employees and 170 seasonal workers who work at the heart of the season, according to FO, up to
“100% of ski patrollers”
, in charge of safety and rescue on the slopes, could follow the movement.
The mobilization of this profession necessary for the operation of the slopes could compromise their opening.
The director of Semilon Resort Nicolas Colombani assured that
he would “do everything possible to ensure that the operation of the resort is maintained”
, as the
“most important” period of the year
begins for the resort, with several thousand skiers every day. on its 100 km of slopes.
The company, which has been operating these slopes since 2022, has already offered
“the maximum of what can be offered
,” he said.
The scenario of non-opening of the slopes on Sunday seems unthinkable to the tourist office which emphasizes that 80% of the 19,000 tourist beds in the resort will be occupied from Saturday.