Paris (AFP)

The FedEx group's CFDT and FO unions on Wednesday expressed their "fears" for the workforce in France, after the announcement Tuesday of 5,500 to 6,300 job cuts in Europe to avoid duplication following the takeover in 2016 of the Dutch group TNT.

"We have certain fears about France but the figures will not be specified until Friday during a central CSE (social and economic committee)," Yahya Sabri, CFDT delegate (majority) told AFP, without wanting to s '' make progress on an estimate concerning the workforce of around 9,000 employees in total in France.

"We expected it but not before 2022; this announcement had the effect of a bomb," commented Mohammed Hijiaj (FO), who fears that these cuts affect "10 to 15% of the workforce".

Questioned by AFP, the management denied these figures.

"Our project does not have such an impact on employment in France. We are engaged in a consultation process and, in accordance with the regulations, we cannot give more details at this stage", specified one of its doors. -speak.

When acquiring TNT, the group wanted to extend its FedEx Express subsidiary across the Atlantic, "by connecting the largest air express transport network in the world with an unparalleled European road network and a global service offering. ", he recalled Tuesday in a statement.

FedEx Express Europe manager Karen Reddington called the changes "essential to reap the benefits of integration and strengthen (the) competitiveness in a rapidly changing market", saying they "never are" easy because they have an impact on (the) employees ".

The group plans in particular to merge the airline networks of FedEx Express and TNT and to make Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris its main center of activity and Liège airport in Belgium a secondary center.

© 2021 AFP