LFI deputies François Ruffin, Alexis Corbière and Raquel Garrido came to support Orange Bank employees in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) on Monday afternoon who were leading a walkout to demand better reclassification when the mobile bank will be closed by the ‘operator.
Orange announced in June the upcoming closure of its bank, launched with great fanfare by former CEO Stphane Richard in 2017.
The group has entered into negotiations with BNP Paribas, which should be able to take over part of Orange Bank’s 800,000 customers in France, but neither its activities nor its employees.
The unions denounce the support proposals from Orange that are too weak.
Not only are we proposing to fire you, but we are also offering to fire you at a discount, said LFI MP Franois Ruffin in front of the hundred employees and trade unionists present, denouncing a bogus social plan.
The State shareholder is Bruno Le Maire and Emmanuel Macron. They must assume their responsibilities, they sit on the board of directors, added the deputy, potential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
I am here for the employees of Montreuil and also in delocalized mode for the employees of Picardy, specified the elected representative of the Somme, Orange Bank having a customer relations center in Amiens.
There is no question that your dignity will be taken away, declared Alexis Corbire, deputy for the Montreuil constituency.
The elected officials were then received, along with the unions, by management.
The priority for Orange remains exemplary support for all employees, a company spokesperson told AFP.
Discussions are continuing with all stakeholders and we do not wish to go into details at this stage, he added.
According to the CFDT, 60% of Orange Bank employees had already participated in a strike during a day of action at the end of November.
The banking subsidiary of the telecoms operator has around 650 employees.