Orange: the unions are up in arms against the restructuring of the network of stores


A new social front is opening up at Orange. After the announcement last month of the loss of some 700 jobs at Orange Business, its division for companies, the operator is preparing a major reorganization of its network of stores. Dubbed “Dragonfly”, the project aims to transfer, by 2026, from 120 to 150 shops out of the 279 in the group’s subsidiary Générale de telephone (GDT) to the Agence Distribution (AD) division.

This transfer would be accompanied by a lower social bid. As CGT FAPT Orange explains on its website, shops under the GDT flag are subject to the collective agreement for audiovisual, electronics and household equipment shops and services, “ much less advantageous » than what the Orange SA agreements provide for in terms of social benefits and working conditions.

1,900 employees would be affected by these transfers according to the CFE CGC. At the same time, shops under the AD entity will be closed, which will lead to reassignments in other shops in the network. This raises fears of constrained mobility for the unions. Employees could be reassigned to points of sale far from their current residence, or even dismissed if they do not accept the redeployment proposal.

“Transfers on a voluntary basis”

For the management of Orange, interviewed by The world, “transfers of employees will be made solely on a voluntary basis”. In practice, the Libellule project aims to “get closer to customers in rural areas with the establishment of small shops”, the usual format of the GDT. It also recalls that the distribution network should have 600 stores in France at the end of 2026 compared to 530 at the end of 2022. The share of points of sale managed by GDT will increase from 40% to 70%.

In a letter addressed to Jean-François Fallacher, the brand new executive director and CEO of Orange France, the CFE-CGC considers that ” this decision is neither economically nor strategically nor socially motivated. The union asks the management to respect the provisions applicable in terms of the Job Protection Plan.

As a reminder, a PSE is mandatory when an employer plans to lay off at least ten employees over a period of 30 days in a company with at least 50 employees. According to The world, the round of negotiations ends on 5 May. Two unions are still around the table – CFDT and FO – when the other three – CFE-CGC, CGT and Sud – have slammed the door.

A hardening of the social climate

According to a CFDT leaflet, financial compensation has already been obtained, including a bonus of 5,800 euros for sellers or compensation of up to 5,000 euros in the event of a lack of public transport around the new points of sale. assignment. In addition, employees who choose to join the GDT will benefit from a right of return within the first six months of taking up their position, then after 24 months in the position.

Following the voluntary departure plan within Orange Business, this reorganization should harden the social climate within a group still traumatized by “the suicide crisis” between 2009 and 2010. Sud sees the hand of Christel Heydemann, CEO of the Orange group for just over a year. ” When she was human resources director at Alcatel-Lucent, she cut 5,500 jobss”, mentions, in a leaflet, the union.





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