Casinos are in the news and in the press. No less than 120 employees working for the casino operator of the Barrière group (manager of hotels and casinos in France) demonstrated last Saturday. (May 11, 2013) to demand an increase in their salary. In addition, they took the opportunity to highlight a constant deterioration in their working conditions.
An event which also shows the real financial difficulties that the group is currently experiencing. An event that caused a stir in the heart of the city of Deauville.
Indeed, all the demonstrators gathered on the Place Yves Saint-Laurent. A well targeted place according to the organizers. Where all the luxury shops are located, employees wanted to highlight their discontent by opening the debates on their end-of-month salary, also demanding an increase on their payslip.
This demonstration does not arrive on the table by chance. A salary agreement was signed last Friday between the group’s management and the unions (CGC and CFE). The deal was reportedly based on several important themes:
A sacrifice that many hardly accept:
– No salary increase for 2013.
– No collective bonus.
The CFDT and FO see this as a real injustice. ” […] Anger is mounting. The spirits are heating up. Nothing is going well, we have to go on strike […] A rally is necessary to be heard. “.
Many employees have spoken on the subject. It seems that the majority of Barrière group employees do not earn more than 1000 euros per month. A real scandal according to them. A difficult job where nights, evenings and weekends are the days when everyone works because the attendance is at the maximum.
“ We’re at the end of the line… ” said an official.
In addition, employees express their dissatisfaction with the fact that their working conditions are deteriorating more and more over time because the workforce in terms of teams has been reduced in recent months.
Today, the Barrière group employs 720 people in Deauville and around 300 seasonal workers. The demonstrators want to find an agreement as soon as possible. In the worst case, a strike could be organized on Pentecost. Important holiday for the casino.
In a press release, the signed agreement provides for: “The payment of a collective bonus based on the company’s results. This bonus varies from 170 euros net to 280 euros net depending on the employee’s status. Note that 75% of employees are beneficiaries up to 280 euros net . ”
The decision-making meeting of last Friday intervenes on the consequences of the economic crisis and on a constant decline in the group’s turnover.
