The employees of Brico Privé have been facing heightened stress since the beginning of the year due to a Job Protection Plan that was put in place. The Les Mousquetaires group, the majority shareholders of the Toulouse company since 2020, have been making conflicting announcements and failing to effectively communicate with the workers, which has only made things worse.
On March 21, tensions reached a boiling point during a negotiation meeting at the company headquarters when management revealed that a potential buyer had contacted them, but they failed to provide any further details about the conditions for recovery.
As news of the possible sale spread among the employees, they decided to occupy the building in protest of the lack of transparency from management. Despite management’s claims of violence, Karoline Vitrant, the staff delegate and CSE representative, insisted that the protest was driven by legitimate anger and discontent. Vitrant also expressed disappointment in management’s lack of support in handling the situation and their increasing concern about employees taking sick leave.
Vitrant emphasized the importance of healthy social dialogue and called for meetings to address employees’ distress. Both Vitrant and regional president Carole Delga expressed disappointment in how Les Mousquetaires handled the situation and ignored social dialogue by their leadership.
In conclusion, Brico Privé employees are seeking more transparency and communication from management regarding potential sales and job security concerns. The lack of support and dialogue from company leadership has left workers feeling frustrated and anxious about their future at Brico Privé.
