After Scopelec lost an important call for tenders launched by Orange, the situation deteriorated sharply between the two companies.
The subcontractor believed that its survival was threatened by the loss of its contracts.
The Minister of Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher intervened to try to unblock the situation and put in place a solution likely to preserve jobs at Scopelec.
Orange has agreed to grant its subcontractor an additional business volume of 43 million euros, increased to 45 million, for the next 18 months.
Amount which is added to the current contracts between the two companies.
Above all, Orange has accepted a transaction of 20 million euros which will allow Scopelec to bear the financial weight of a job protection plan, despite the loss of 450 jobs.
Initially, Scopelec had mentioned the destruction of 800 jobs.
Since then, many employees have left the company, some to join the ranks of other service providers.
Read alsoScopelec is preparing a PSE for 800 jobs
The compensation granted by Orange more or less corresponds to receivables contracted by Scopelec with regard to some of its own subcontractors.
The incumbent, which had made a first payment to Scopelec, will finally pay the subcontractors directly.
For its part, the State will also make a gesture, by giving up 15 million euros in public liabilities (tax and social debts).
"
The favorable position of the State should weigh favorably in the establishment of the PSE
", we slip at the Ministry of Industry.
Caution remains in order, since the management of Scopelec has yet to accept the proposals that have been made to it.
"
Agnès Pannier-Runacher will have done everything, until the end, to find a solution when the protagonists had very distant positions
”.
Scopelec should also undertake to set up training to enable its employees to adapt to changing markets, in particular the replacement of ADSL by fiber optics.
Finally, the subcontractor should also waive any legal proceedings against Orange.
Otherwise, everything would have to be redone.
