Staff

French restaurants are open but short-staffed

France — Link

Even in France waiters and chefs seem to have have lost their taste for the job.

Covid-19: why French carehome staff are refusing the vaccine

France

The French government has announced a target of administering one million jabs of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of January. Priority for the voluntary jab has been given to the elderly and healthcare workers, but it appears that a significant number of staff in the country’s carehomes are refusing to be vaccinated over fears they have of potential side effects. Cécile Andrzejewski has been speaking to carehome workers across France about their scepticism, which they say is based on past incoherencies and U-turns in government policy to the coronavirus epidemic.   

Ryanair French staff accuse airline of 'redundancy blackmail'

International — Link

Staff unions in France representing flight crews and cabin staff working for budget airline Ryanair have accused the Irish company of behaving as if it was in the 'Far West' after it announced it was imposing 20% salary cuts for flight crew and 10% for attendants to weather the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

France Télécom bosses' trial: the witness for those who died

France

In an ongoing trial in Paris, the former boss of France Télécom, the now renamed Orange telecommunications giant, along with six of his former top executives, stand accused of moral harassment of staff in a brutal four-year cost-cutting plan to axe 22,000 jobs, during which more than 30 employees took their own lives, including by immolation, hanging and defenestration. At least 13 others attempted suicide, and many more were diagnosed with depression. One of the latter is Yves Minguy, a highly skilled computing engineer who, after 35 years with the company, was humiliatingly posted to answer the telephone at a customer call centre. He took to the witness stand last week and afterwards told Mediapart of the duty he felt to speak “for those who are no longer here”.

French carehome staff in national protest at undermanning, cost cuts

France — Link

Care workers mounted nationwide protests on Tuesday complaining they are under increasing pressure to cut corners on feeding, cleaning and hygiene care for those living in France's 7,000 nursing homes, and denouncing a government reform of elderly care as further threatening jobs and the quality of services.

Air France-KLM group divided by culture clash says leaked report

International — Link

A leaked internal report says the national cultural differences between the airline group's Dutch and French staff is so acute that it is uncertain 'whether the alliance can survive given the long-standing mutual incomprehension'. 

HSBC envisages moving 1,000 jobs to Paris in event of Brexit

International — Link

The bank, which recently announced it is keeping its HQ in London, said global banking and markets staff could move to Paris if UK leaves EU.

Air France sacks four staff for shirt-ripping attack on directors

France — Link

The airline has also begun dismissal procedures against a fifth employee over violent protests as management announced a plan to cut 2,900 jobs.

Unions warn against 'divisive' Air France strategy after assault on executives

France

The physical attacks upon two Air France executives on Monday by a small group of airline staff protesting a plan of job losses has been widely condemned by trade unions, management and government. The assaults, in which the Human Resources director and the long-haul flight manager had their clothing ripped off, dramatically underlined the high tensions within the struggling airline over its announcement it is to shed 2,900 jobs over the next two years. Mathilde Goanec and Dan Israel report.

Chinese billionaire offers 6,400 staff holiday in France

International — Link

Li Jinyuan, head of the Tiens Group and reportedly China's 24th wealthiest person, spent 33 million euros for the four-day vacation.

Air France ground staff to strike on August 2

France — Link

The stoppage will affect Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris as well as those at Ajaccio, Bastia, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and others.

Swiss bank UBS bars staff from travelling to France

International — Link

Reports say wealth management staff were ordered to stay away from France where the bank is under investigation for helping tax evasion.

Restive staff seize bosses at French Goodyear site

France — Link

Angry workers holding two managers in 'boss-napping' at factory in northern France are demanding more money in exchange for loss of their jobs.

IKEA France directors questioned by police over client and staff 'snooping'

France — Link

Directors of the furniture store chain were questioned about allegations the company illegally used police files to spy on staff and customers.