News

All French trade union affiliates, the Spanish Fecoht - CC.OO and CHTJ- UGT and Setca-Bbtk from Belgium, with the support of UNI Europa Commerce demonstrated in Paris on 21 June 2011, in front of the doors of Carrefour shareholders general Assembly. Shareholders were invited to endorse the Hard discount brand DIA spin off, wich they did, contrary to the EWC and trade unions views. Several shareholders also expressed their doubts about the strategy developed. DIA currentlly employs more that 40.000 workers in the world, half of theim work in Spain.



Carrefour workers representatives are very critical of the management's choices to please equity funds first rather than investing in the company's future. Dia workers are preocupied because their company will soon be facing competition including Carrefour's, its former owner. As a direct consequence of the split, they will lose significant pay conditions.



Fabrice Warneck, UNI Europa Commerce Policy Officer said "Last year the company informed the EWC of a general rebranding of Carrefour hard discount under the DIA name, officially for marketing only reasons. Today, they split the company and pretend that this was not foreseen. I believe that in this company, European workers representatives are not being respected and we are here to say it". Demonstrators tried to penetrate in the shareholders meeting room but security and police prevented them from entering.



Company management has promised to meet the unions next week in order to listen their demands.