On March 29, at the request of the legal representatives, the Criminal Court of Rodez had ordered the expulsion, with the "possible assistance" of the police, of the former employees installed in the factory, since its judicial liquidation of this sub- dealing with Renault, which employed 350 people.

Talks are currently underway between the former employees made redundant and the State.

"We are still in the dialogue phase with the former employees and as long as this dialogue, which is a priority for finding solutions, is not broken, there is no question of acting by force", said namely the prefect of Aveyron.

“We received this morning a project to end the crisis, with several negotiation dates, including next week” and “we welcome it”, declared for his part to AFP David Gistau, CGT representative of the former employees.

In front of the site, dozens of people, waving CGT flags, were gathered on Tuesday afternoon awaiting a rally of support, scheduled for Tuesday evening.

"It has always gone well with the prefect," said one of these former employees, Christel Rambaut, 48, adding that it was different with the judicial representatives.

Taken over in 2017 by the Chinese group Jinjiang, the Aveyronnaise Metallurgy Company (SAM), based in Viviez, in the former disaster-stricken mining area of ​​Decazeville, had been placed in receivership in December 2019.

David Gistau, CGT representative of former SAM employees, in front of the Viviez factory, in Aveyron, January 22, 2022 Matthieu RONDEL AFP / Archives

On November 26, the Toulouse commercial court ordered the cessation of its activity and its liquidation, after Renault's refusal to support the only takeover project.

Since then, employees have taken turns day and night to occupy the site.

The former employees want in particular to prevent an auction of the machines by the agents, fearing that it will discourage the takeover of the foundry.

A takeover project, carried by the company MH Industries, based in the neighboring Lot, was unveiled by Bercy and the Occitanie region in February.

It is currently under study.

The former employees announced that 281 of them were going to attack the Prud'hommes Renault, the only customer of the automotive supplier, to claim compensation.

© 2022 AFP