Paris (AFP)

The closure of the Renault-Sandouville plant, obtained by the CGT in court, is a "bad" decision for the site and for Renault, said Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire on Monday.

"I regret the decision of the CGT in Sandouville" because this closure "is a decision that is bad for Sandouville" but also for Renault while the automotive industry is "in great difficulty", he said on BFM Business .

According to Mr. Le Maire, the reasons put forward by the CGT are "extraordinarily fragile".

While the Sandouville factory (Seine-Maritime) had resumed on April 28 thanks to a health protocol validated by the CFDT, CFE-CGC and FO, the Le Havre court, seized by the CGT, condemned last Thursday in summary proceedings Renault "to suspend the resumption of production" because it does not "ensure (...) the safety of workers".

"I consider that social dialogue was conducted in Sandouville, and that the health security conditions were met to reopen" the site, said Mr. Le Maire.

"There are union officials today who are playing with fire, by not sufficiently encouraging employees to social dialogue and respect for the decisions that have been taken collectively," the minister added.

He finally ruled that this decision was "bad for the French nation (...) when we want to relocate industrial activities".

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