French union CFDT has called for Carrefour workers to down tools over Easter weekend, over what it said was a worsening of the working conditions of the retailer's employees, despite the group's 'exceptional' 2020 results.
In a statement, CFDT, which represents around 25% of Carrefour workers said, 'Despite the announcement of exceptional 2020 results, the continuation of its investments abroad and the revaluation of its shareholder policy, Carrefour management continues to question the social status and working conditions of its employees.'
It said that new hires have essentially been 'frozen' by the retailer, while all salary negotiations are done 'at a discount'. Elsewhere, CFDT alleged that the health of employees is being affected by projects intended to increase productivity.
Group Performance
In February, Carrefour reported that its operating profit rose 16.7% last year to €2.17 billion, while sales were up 7.8% on a like-for-like basis, to €76.8 billion.
The CFDT union has called for the strike action at Carrefour's hypermarkets, supermarkets and warehouses over the Easter weekend, calling for three measures to be implemented: the end of a switch to rental-managed stores, a return to 'decent working conditions', and an upgrade to salary scales.
The union described the Carrefour 2022 transformation strategy as a 'brutal plan' that is 'unsustainable, and looks more like an extensive cost reduction plan'. It said that some 12,000 jobs had been eliminated at Carrefour France alone.
It added that Carrefour employees have been deemed 'essential workers' during the pandemic, and therefore 'deserve remuneration' commensurate with the current working conditions.
According to Les Echos, the move could spur on fellow unions FO, which represents 40% of Carrefour workers or the CGT (20%) to also join in the action.
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