SFR employees walked out of the company’s headquarters in Balard, Paris, on Tuesday, November 3, in protest over the social impact of a proposed takeover by Bouygues Telecom, Free and Orange. It was the second strike against the process, following a previous walkout on September 24.
The planned acquisition, valued at between €20.35 billion and €21 billion, has raised concerns among SFR’s 8,000 employees about the future of their jobs. Workers gathered outside the building as union representatives addressed them.
Caroline, an employee in the information systems department who asked not to be identified by her real name, described the deal as a dismantling of France’s second-largest telecoms operator. After 20 years at SFR, she said she feared losing her job and criticized the company’s leadership, saying employees felt treated as disposable.
Sources: Le Monde Économie.