Another blow for Orpea. The Arc en Ciel union, the majority in its 350 establishments for dependent elderly people, is calling for a national strike on Tuesday. He wishes to protest against the group’s decision not to pay a profit-sharing bonus this year.
“The Arc en Ciel union supports the employees in their legitimate anger and proposes, to all of them, to participate in a strike movement of at least 30 minutes next Tuesday, May 24, 2022”, wrote the organization. union in a press release.
On May 17, management informed the unions of its decision, motivated by the financial consequences of the health crisis. According to the Unsa union, “provisions of 83 million euros are also advanced to deal with the risk of fines and reimbursements to the State”, following the scandal caused by the publication of the book Les Fossoyeurs by Victor Castanet . After an administrative investigation carried out by the State revealed “serious dysfunctions” in the management of the establishments, the government announced that it intended to require Orpea to reimburse public grants allegedly diverted from their purposes. A judicial inquiry has also been opened by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.
The CGT also rises against this decision of the company, “even though the group declares a profit of 62.5 million euros for the year 2021”. She points out that the profit-sharing bonus “usually represents a sum of around 750 euros”, calling “for the renewable strike or walkouts from June 3”.
By way of compensation, Orpea promises to pay its employees a PEPA bonus (exceptional purchasing power bonus) soon. Unsa is claiming an amount of 1,000 euros, while the CGT “demands that this 2021 profit-sharing bonus be paid without delay to all employees, in addition to and not instead of the possible PEPA bonus (exceptional bonus purchasing power) to come”.
