TUI France wants to cut up to 583 jobs, two thirds of its workforce - France 24

Paris (AFP)

The management of TUI France, the leading tourist operator in France, announced Wednesday during an extraordinary social and economic committee (CSE) wanting to cut up to 583 jobs due to the effects of the health crisis, or two-thirds of its workforce, AFP learned from concordant sources.

"In the context of the Covid crisis, the extent and impact of which on tourism are still unknown, all players in the sector are forced to reorganize," the management said in a statement.

"The project presented today in CSE provides for the abolition of 317 positions", a figure which will rise to 583 positions out of the 904 positions in CDI existing by taking into account the 65 own agencies ("integrated") that the company intends franchise or give up, she said, confirming information obtained from union sources.

"It's terrible for us," reacted to AFP Lazare Razkallah, secretary of the CSE, judging the extent of the job cuts "considerable". The terms of the job cuts have not yet been presented but "there will be dry layoffs, that's clear", he lamented.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, "this is the first social plan announced in France by a major player in tourism", observes the trade unionist.

"We are stunned by the catastrophe that is falling on us," said Jorge Partida, central FO delegate at TUI France. "We expected a hard social plan, especially given the financial situation of the company, but not an announcement of this magnitude," said the union member, who was waiting to have details on the social plan during the continuation of the CSE in the afternoon.

TUI France "is entering into an information-consultation process with the CSE and this project will be the subject of detailed discussions by management," said the company, which has been in deficit for years.

Management stresses that "this project unfortunately involves many job losses but it is today the only solution for the company to go through the crisis, and that the most beautiful brands in the tourism sector in France, Marmara , Lookéa and Nouvelles Frontières ".

"We have made difficult decisions which are necessary to ensure a good future for TUI France," said in a statement Hans van de Velde, CEO of TUI France, who said he was convinced that "with this new strategy and a structure resized accordingly, (...) we will be able to maintain a very good market position. "

TUI France is a subsidiary of the German group TUI, the world's leading tour operator, which announced in mid-May that it wanted to cut 8,000 jobs out of 70,000 worldwide.

© 2020 AFP