“I don’t believe there will be much disorganization” in companies, estimated Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, the president of Medef, Thursday, January 6 on France Inter, in reaction to the Scientific Council which says it fears a “possible disorganization” from society and public services from this month of January, due to the sick leave linked to the spread of the Omicron variant. Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux said to himself “surprised” of this opinion and calls for “not to scare the French”.
According to him, and on the basis of feedback from its members, “However, we are starting to perceive a little bit the impact of Omicron on absences”, with an increase in work stoppages for Covid or contact cases. “There are some tremors in transport, in the food industry, but for the moment, there is no massive influx of absenteeism”, relativized the president of Medef. “There is no disorganization” he repeated, while calling “to be careful” in front of “the spectacular diffusion” from Omicron.
“The vast majority of businesses are playing the telecommuting game three days a week.”
Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, President of Medefat France Inter
Finally, with regard to non-vaccinated employees who, according to Medef estimates, represent “two million working people out of the five million unvaccinated French people”, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux assured that companies “were trying to find a cohabitation and practical methods”, rather than “piss off” in reaction to the words of the Head of State. “Beyond the operational problems, it is a kind of exclusion from society”, he estimated.
Already opposed to the health pass in companies, the president of Medef considered that the vaccination pass imposed to access leisure activities, restaurants and bars, fairs or interregional public transport, was “the least bad of the solutions” for places that receive the public. On the other hand, with regard to the gauges currently limited to 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 outdoors, this will, according to him, “make shows and concerts impossible”. “The companies in the event industry are going to suffer greatly in the months of January, February, maybe March”, he lamented despite government aid.