The strike at Europe 1, which has brought together all categories of employees since Friday, was renewed for a period of twenty-four hours, Agence France-Presse (AFP) learned on Monday, June 21, from concordant sources.
The continuation of the movement was decided almost unanimously, according to union sources. The strikers demand, in particular, that Constance Benqué, president of Lagardère News, “Come and meet the editorial staff as soon as possible”, to discuss with her the conscience clause allowing journalists to leave a title with compensation in the event of a change of editorial line, said a striker.
Tense climate
This strike movement, which began on Friday, “Aims to obtain from the management of Europe 1 the cancellation of the disciplinary proceedings initiated” against an editorial journalist, “Latest illustration of an authoritarian and unsuitable management at work in Europe 1”, explain the strikers.
Journalist Victor Dhollande had an altercation on Wednesday June 16 with a member of human resources who secretly recorded a meeting of employees supposed to take stock of the situation of the station and the influence of Vincent Bolloré, who became Lagardère’s largest shareholder at Europe 1. Victor Dhollande, known for “His impulses” But “Unanimously appreciated”, was laid off for ten days, until June 30, leading to possible dismissal. Despite the internal mobilization, the disciplinary procedure was maintained, the management invoking its previous behavior.
This crisis broke out in a tense climate, within an editorial staff already “Depressed” by the voluntary departure plan initiated in the spring to eliminate around forty positions and redress the radio’s accounts, which audiences are struggling to recover. But also through the synergies that management, controlled by Vincent Bolloré, wants to develop with CNews, the conservative news channel of the Canal + group, a subsidiary of Vivendi, as it announced to employees in May.