Threat on the Michelin factory in La Roche-sur-Yon. Despite the improved economic and industrial performance, the site is losing production volumes. And fear the worst.
At the request of the unions, the diagnoses of each Michelin business site will be communicated to employees this weekend. In La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée), worries rose in a niche as production fell sharply. One can even imagine the worst, namely a closure. That’s why the unions call for more transparent dialogue and launch a real reflection on the future of the plant in La Roche-sur- Yon.
On October 4, the employees of the Michelin plant in La Roche-sur-Yon filed to express their concerns about the activity of the plant in Yonne. The CGT even sent a letter to Michelin’s Michelin management “in order to obtain clear answers to the following questions: what is the future of the La Roche-sur-Yon plant in the medium term? How to work serenely in such a context and how to project oneself on our personal and social future under such conditions? Explained Anthony Guilloteau, CGT secretary.
Falling production
One year later, the questions remain unanswered. Worse, the situation seems to have taken a more serious focus with a future site La Roche-sur-Yon more than ever in a reprieve. To begin with the volume of production. Set at 760,000 envelopes at the start of the year, the 2019 targets fell to 680,000 in July. “And it may fall further for the end of the year,” said Nicolas Robert, secretary of the union South Site La Roche-sur-Yon.
However, last May, the union organizations together (Sud-CGC-CFDT-CFDT) obtained from management that all employees be informed of the activities of each Michelin site in France. A first. These diagnoses will be communicated to them by the end of the week. “These diagnoses will not help us. the situation, we know it, “storm Nicolas Robert. The latter denounces internal competition in a European market for heavy-duty tires. “While we bet on the site of Roche, we use us as a buffer, preferring to entrust volumes to other German or Italian factories, where the cost is cheaper.”
“Concerning” situation
On the side of the communication of the direction, one recognizes a situation “worrying” for the site in the Vendée.
“While economic and industrial performance has recovered thanks to the efforts of employees, the site still faces a complicated European truck tire market”, explains Pascale Audibert, in charge of the communication of the France group.”
An extraordinary meeting of the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) was held on Tuesday 17 September at the La Roche-sur-Yon site. At the end, Sud sent a letter to Florent Menegaux, who took the lead of the Clermont group following Jean-Dominique Senard, and in which he recalls Michelin’s commitments, namely “a social dialogue that should rest on trust and transparency. And we count on the respect of this commitment, “ says Jérôme Lorton, Central Delegate South.
Alternative solution
But the unions especially want the next working meetings to ask the real questions, those that will help find a solution to perpetuate the site in Yonne.
“We know that the European truck market has been struggling for some time. However, at no time was there a de facto work on an alternative project. This is what management expects, whether it plans a new or even innovative commitment to meet the challenges of the situation and protect Roche’s employees. “Michelin has the financial means to take the time to find the alternative solution.”
