" This is unheard of. We have never experienced such a mobilization or voted for a strike. Nobody understands the harshness of this plan ", laments a reporter for BFMTV, present at the general assembly organized this Tuesday at midday, after a new exchange between management and staff.
Gathered in the inner courtyard of the headquarters of the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the employees of NextRadioTV (parent company of BFMTV, RMC, RMC Sport…), belonging to the Altice group, voted by show of hands in favor of a day of strike for this Wednesday. "We were 500 people and 95% voted in favor of the strike," said Alban Azais, CGT union delegate, after two hours of open-air discussions, with podium, microphone and hygiaphone, in the presence of several emblematic faces of branches, reporters, technicians and sales staff of the audiovisual group. Employees working in the regions followed the general meeting by videoconference and voted by e-mail.
"We are punished when we should be rewarded"
In question, the announcement by management on June 17 of a voluntary departure plan that would affect between 330 and 380 permanent employees and at least 180 freelancers and intermittent. “There is a real feeling of injustice among the employees. We are punished when we should be rewarded after having carried the antennas during the whole Covid-19 crisis. NextRadioTV cannot generate 73 million euros in profits in 2019 and tell us that this crisis will ruin everything, "continues Alban Azais, who makes three main demands:" Do not hire forced departures, reduce the number of job cuts , including freelance journalists, and pursue social policy. "
In unison, the unions specified "accepting a reorganization" but refused "the departure of one in three employees", which for them meant "degradation of the quality of the antenna". A new general assembly, fixed this Wednesday evening, will decide the consequences of the movement. It could put to the vote the renewal of the strike this Sunday June 28, day of the second round of the municipal elections, where the antennas are strongly mobilized.
This sling comes on the eve of the second debate between two rounds of the Parisian municipal election between Anne Hidalgo, Rachida Dati and Agnès Buzyn, scheduled live this Wednesday at 8:45 pm on BFMTV and BFM Paris and presented by Ruth Elkrief and Apolline de Weed. “This debate is a citizen moment and counts for democratic life. We are committed to candidates and Parisians. Originally, it was to be held in March. We have built it for a long time with a dedicated team. It will therefore take place on our premises. There is no desire in the editorial staff to sabotage it, and there is no desire on the part of management to get around the strike, ”explains Marc-Olivier Fogiel, director of BFMTV.
Management fears a future 25% drop in turnover
The Altice group, belonging to Patrick Drahi, anticipates a collapse of advertising revenue after the health crisis. He was the first to announce on May 19 a vast restructuring plan, known as “post-Covid transformation and reconquest”, in a harsh economic context for many media outlets in the audiovisual and written press. This must begin in July with "a phase of volunteering" and forced departures "if there were not enough volunteers", we confirm on Tuesday.
"We must initiate this transformation without delay to continue to exist tomorrow," insists a spokesman for Altice, fearing a future drop of 25% in turnover, and recalling that the workforce has increased by 50% since 6 years. Negotiations should continue throughout the summer, with mid-July the detailed presentation of the plan, service by service, as well as financial and support measures for employees.