"A thousand jobs at risk at Cora"

Cora, a subsidiary of the Belgian Louis Delhaize group, is to terminate almost 1,100 jobs in its 61 hypermarkets. The jobs would be held by employees who refuse to approve the company’s new social plan.

1077 employees do not accept the plan

Based on trade union sources, Le Parisien reports that the retailer will announce a new social plan today, which will result in the loss of a thousand jobs. The agreement is the result of long negotiations between management and trade unions.

The plan is intended to adapt the work stations and increase flexibility in the hypermarkets. In return, employees would receive more bonuses. It was approved by three major trade unions at Cora, but 1077 employees did not agree with it. As a result, they are now in danger of losing their jobs, according to trade union CGT.

This is already the chain’s third social plan within a period of barely two years. Since 2008, Cora has already terminated 8,000 jobs, and the chain still currently employs about 16,500 people. Cora has 61 hypermarkets in France, the type of supermarket most affected by the crisis in the distribution sector. In 2018, Cora’s turnover decreased by 1.5 % and net profit by 23 %.