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A France Telecom employee killed himself yesterday, becoming the company's 24th worker to commit suicide in 18 months.



France Telecom established a counselling service for staff a few weeks ago, following pressure from the public, the government (which remains the company's largest shareholder) and trade unions. Although the rate of suicides among France Telecom employees is not higher than in the general population, almost all of France Telecom's workers have specifically referred to pressures or circumstances at work in the letters they have left for friends and family. The 51-year-old man from the Haute-Savoie region who ended his life yesterday referring to the "atmosphere" at his workplace in a note left in his car.



Workers in Annecy and Bordeaux staged strikes on Tuesday demanding action by the company.



Changes in management at the formerly public enterprise have led to extensive cuts in staff over the previous ten years, including 22,000 lay offs (around 20% of total staff) between 2006-2008. The company's Chief Financial Officer, Gervais Pellissier, said yesterday that a lack of separation between work and home life causes stress for workers.



A worker who has been employed by France Telecom for 20 years says that the working culture at the company has changed since privatisation 10 years ago. "France Telecom has spent its time breaking up teams and breaking down solidarity. They cultivate individualism and selfishness. So the support you might have found amongst colleagues in difficult times is not there. France Telecom manages its employees like cattle, " said Gauthier Rollin.



Chief Executive Didier Lombard has responded, amidst calls for his resignation, by announcing a freeze on the company's "Time to Move" policy which would require managers to change posts every three years.