Rennes (AFP)
About 250 people, according to the organizers, gathered Sunday in Angers in front of the hypermarket Casino La Roseraie which, for the first time, was open the afternoon without cashiers.
The call to protest was initially launched by the CGT but representatives of other unions, employees of other retail chains, yellow vests and ordinary citizens took part, welcomed Patrice Auvinet, secretary at the CGT49 trade and shop steward at the Carrefour hypermarkets, contacted by phone. The rally takes place "in music, in a good-natured atmosphere," he said.
For Jean Pastor, central union representative of the Casino Group, present in Angers, "people do not need a half-day of additional consumption.The opening hour is already largely sufficient like that", a- he told AFP.
"Casino distributes vouchers valid only on Sunday morning, for example, to bring customers that day and justify this opening," he said, lamenting that this opening of Sunday is developing: " a Carrefour d'Angers is already open on Sunday morning and another will do it from September ".
More generally, this automation of the work of cashiers does not result in job cuts, said Pastor. And if we cut jobs, "what future funding for our health system," questioned the union representatives.
Customers going to the store this Sunday afternoon will scan and pay for their purchases by automatic cash registers, "a first for a hypermarket", according to the communication of the Casino brands.
This large area of 5,000 m2 with a total of 115 employees, "will offer a service in automatic mode from 13H00, and until 21H", said Casino, claiming to respond to a request from customers.
The Angevin hypermarket already opened on Sunday by having its employees work in the morning, in accordance with the regulations.
If locally, elected officials and unions are reserved, the Casino brands claim that there is no opposition among employees. The reception will be provided in the afternoon and evening by vigils, and "one to two organizers of cases".
"They are external service providers, not employees of Casino.Our employees will work on Sunday until 13H, it is in the rules of Sunday work," says one at Casino.
© 2019 AFP