the fear of the announcement of a major social plan

Bouygues Telecom management announced on Thursday, September 19, during a central social and economic committee (CSE) in Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine), that an extraordinary CSE will be held on October 1, franceinfo learned from union sources. The 10,500 employees, including subsidiaries, fear the imminent announcement of a massive plan for job cuts despite formal denials so far from management.

Rumors have been circulating in the corridors for months, particularly since this summer when Bouygues Telecom management spoke to unions about the need for a transformation plan due to the context considered delicate: a very clear slowdown in the mobile market in France and a relaunch of the price war between operators.

According to unofficial counts from some unions, up to 1,500 jobs are potentially under threat in IT management, engineering, customer relations or business services. Activities that could be relocated to Portugal or Morocco, where Bouygues already opened sites a few years ago.

In any case, the CFDT intends to request the appointment of an independent expert and contests in advance any possible financial justification for this transformation plan, even though management is currently completing the acquisition of La Poste Mobile, the largest French alternative operator, for 960 million euros.

For its part, the company’s management announced to franceinfo this Thursday evening that this extraordinary CSE will be an opportunity to “present in detail” the transformation plan. “Management has confirmed to social partners that no collective departure plan will be announced, contrary to certain rumours which have been circulating in the press,” she assures.