WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, UCL Leaflet: Record profits, layoffs: disgust (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 The current wave of layoffs in France is arousing indignation against

large companies that rake in huge profits and then brutally get rid of
their employees. To prevent this, we must challenge the absolute power
of employers and the law of the market. ---- Three cases have been
publicized: ---- Michelin (record profits in 2023; 1,250 layoffs
announced), ---- Auchan (in very good financial health; 2,400 layoffs
announced), ---- Valeo (big profits in 2023, big dividends to
shareholders, big public aid; 1,200 jobs threatened on 3 sites). ---- In
total, the CGT has identified 180 layoff plans by the end of 2024, which
will destroy 47,000 jobs (half of which in industry) and indirectly
threaten a total of 200,000 jobs (at suppliers, subcontractors, etc.).

Is this an exceptional phenomenon? Not at all. Social tragedies are the
law of capitalism. But we must take advantage of their current media
coverage to popularize the struggles against layoffs, make them
converge, make them a political object, force capitalists and the State
to back down, and win new rights to defend workers collectively (by
giving them back power) and individually (through social rights).

PDF leaflet to download
In the companies concerned, each group of employees in struggle has its
own problem, its alternative plan... But this must not prevent
convergence, which must also be considered with sectors in a permanent
crisis situation such as public hospitals. We must prepare a major march
against layoffs from January 2025, for common demands, which would
respond to all situations.

1) Collectively: give power back to employees
By blocking dividends from shareholders of companies that lay off
workers. There must be no more money for them if there is no more money
for employees.
By giving employees the right to veto collective layoffs. We must obtain
this new right, to block the absolute power of employers and guarantee
redeployments prior to any restructuring.
2) Collectively: by sharing the work
If there are "excess" workers, it is also because technological advances
reduce the time needed for production. To stop the resulting rise in
unemployment, we must:

reduce working hours, without reducing wages or flexibility, with
corresponding hiring;
lower the retirement age, without reducing pensions, with corresponding
hiring.
3) Individually: through social protection for employees
To hold out between two jobs, employees need solid unemployment
insurance. However, for twenty-five years, the PS, the UMP/LR and
Macronie have continued to dry it up.

We must reverse the trend by increasing employer contributions again,
that is to say by taking from capital... a capital that employees have
produced! Ensuring the subsistence of each and every person means
redistributing wealth in favor of the world of work, and this is legitimate.

Changing society All these measures can limit the damage. But they are
not enough. They must be a point of support to challenge capitalism more
generally, and the social and environmental disaster that it causes. To
prepare another society, freed from the dictatorship of the market and
profit, based on socialism and self-management.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Profits-records-licenciements-l-ecoeurement
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