French platforms paralyzed by strike

Giant parcel delivery company workers protest their wages.

Employees of US parcel delivery company FedEx in France have been on strike since Wednesday evening and closed warehouses and platforms to protest their wages, we learned Thursday from confirmed sources.

“The strike has been followed on a very large scale since Wednesday at 10 pm. The sites and warehouses of Alfortville (Val-de-Marne), Wisseaus (Essonne), Marly-la-Ville (Val d’Oise), Pierre Bennett (Rhône), Nice, Avignon, Chalon-sur-Saône et-Loire), Orléans, Annecy, Chambery and many others are blocked by sit-ins, and almost all employees are on strike except for temporary workers” Yahya Sabri (CFDT, 1) Union) told AFP.

Management, in an email, confirms the movement of the strike but ensures that it cannot confirm “the number of employees involved” or “predict how the strike will develop.”

According to Mohamed Hajjaj (FO), “All Ile-de-France platforms, including the main ones, Alfortville, Weissos and Tremblay-en-France (Seine-Saint-Denis) are blocked, causing queues for trucks on the A86, A104 and A6 , were prevented from unloading their goods, and others (the trucks) were blocked at the sites and not being able to leave.”

massive resentment

“The customs department in Ellancourt (Evelyn) is also down,” he adds.

“It is massive resentment being expressed against FedEx’s disastrous HR policy, which has never been better than during the health crisis (in Covid-19) but considers us second-rate employees compared to the Air Division (FRT) with no salary recognition, without Reward, without incentive, with unacceptable disparities in treatment,” said Mr. Sabri.

Katya Sabbagh, general secretary of the SNSG (national federation of FedEx Group) explains that in Orleans, where she spent the night with the strikers, “the podium is off” and “the staff intends to continue on Friday, or even at – from”.

According to the Federation of Trade Unions (CFDT, CFE-CGC, CAT, SNSG, FO) that called for the strike, management shows “contempt” by “unequal treatment” of FedEx employees in France, divided into two entities: Fedex Express FR (Road Transport, 6044). employees) and FRT (Air Transport, Roissy Business Center, about 3,000 employees).

The direction therefore proposes to the former “a general increase in wages of 2% against 3% of wages for the FRT, which also benefits from a vacation bonus of 450 euros”, they explain.

Ms. Sabbagh protested, saying: “No reward for Macron, no incentive, no recognition, this is unacceptable.”

5,500 to 6,300 jobs were cut in Europe after the acquisition of TNT

The management asserts in its email that it “ensures employees that employees are paid competitively for their invaluable work and commitment” and is considered “fair” as “the result of mandatory annual negotiations (NAO).”

“Any difference in pay between our employees is related to the fact that FedEx Express FR and Federal Express Corporation are two separate and distinct business entities. FedEx Express FR provides assembly and deliveries in France, while Federal Express Corporation located in Roissy-Charles de Gaulle is our primary screening platform. Shipping is in Europe and is part of the global FedEx Express network. Bonus terms are negotiated separately based on a series of factors specific to each activity,” it specifies.

According to the unions, many employees are already working in support, sales and operator positions in both entities.

The strike comes as FedEx plans to cut 270 jobs in France as part of its Job Protection Scheme (PSE).

FedEx, which bought Dutch group TNT in 2016, has announced the elimination of 5,500 to 6,300 jobs in Europe to avoid duplication and the merging of airline networks in FedEx Express and TNT, making Roissy its main activity center and Liège Airport (Belgium) a secondary hub.