One of France’s most powerful unions spent €130,000 ($165,000) to renovate a flat for its boss – who did however agree to do without a home cinema and wine cellar, a newspaper revealed on Wednesday, reports The Guardian.
Thierry Lepaon was last year elected secretary general of the CGT union, one of France’s largest and a constant thorn in the side of companies and the government.
But the former boilermaker lived in Calvados in the north of France which meant he needed an apartment in or near the French capital.
The union – which confirmed that the renovations took place without disclosing the cost – found the flat to rent next to the leafy Bois de Vincennes just outside Paris, the satirical investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported.
The CGT then forked out €130,000 to renovate the 120 square-metre flat, although the bill would have been much higher if Lepaon had kept plans for a home cinema and wine cellar, it said.
CGT treasurer Eric Lafont was quoted as saying that everything needed to be fixed including the plumbing and electricity, while the carpet needed to be replaced by parquet flooring and the walls repainted.
A new bathroom and kitchen were installed, and the estimate seen by the weekly included plans for a television in each room, and appliances such as a dishwasher and coffee machine.
Lafont was quoted as saying the flat was actually a good deal, as the monthly rent is only around €2,000 a month – not a huge amount in or near costly Paris.
The CGT confirmed that the renovation took place, without giving the cost.
Read more of this report from The Guardian.