logo
French workers strike over reduced remote work: 'If I don't have the option, my life is completely dedicated to the company'

French workers strike over reduced remote work: 'If I don't have the option, my life is completely dedicated to the company'

LeMonde05-07-2025
A breath of fresh air. When remote working became the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic, Thibault (not his real name), age 46, found a better balance between his professional and personal life. "It allowed me to see my children when they woke up in the morning and to put them to bed at night, which makes a huge difference. And the burden of looking after the children was no longer solely on my wife. If I don't have remote work, my life is entirely devoted to my company from morning to night, including the commute," said the employee of the French banking giant Société Générale, which rebranded as SG in 2023. On June 27, he was one of many who went on strike to protest the bank's announcement of reduced remote work. On Thursday, July 3, as called by unions, he, like all employees, was asked to come "on site" wearing a green ribbon to show his resolve.
Forty-eight hours earlier, on Tuesday, July 1, it was at Trax, the audiovisual division of mobile network Free (founded by Xavier Niel, a private shareholder of Groupe Le Monde), where industrial action began in response to measures restricting remote work. "This will have a huge impact on my life. I've been organizing my daily life around it for more than five years," said a developer, who requested anonymity.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

France faces prospect of paying higher borrowing costs than Italy
France faces prospect of paying higher borrowing costs than Italy

LeMonde

timea day ago

  • LeMonde

France faces prospect of paying higher borrowing costs than Italy

As hard as it may be to take for France, many investors no longer have any doubt: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Italy is now just as credible when it comes to public finances, if not more so. "Once at the bottom of the class in the European Union in terms of budget discipline, Italy is now in a position to give lessons to France," said independent economist Philippe Crevel in an analysis published at the end of July. Some observers see Italy, now led by the far right, as a model of fiscal discipline for its neighbor. The numbers most symbolic of the reversal are the interest rates that investors demand in exchange for holding the two countries' public debt. In 2011 and 2012, Italy was seen as so turbulent and unreliable that investors insisted on a premium of up to 400 basis points (4%) over French rates. When France paid 3% annual interest, Italy had to pay 7%. Since then, the risk premium has shrunk dramatically, dropping to less than five basis points for the main benchmark with a 10-year repayment period on August 15, a rate unprecedented since 2005. For five-year bonds, the gap between French and Italian debt on financial markets disappeared entirely in mid-July.

What happens when France switches off its 2G network?
What happens when France switches off its 2G network?

Local France

time2 days ago

  • Local France

What happens when France switches off its 2G network?

French telecommunications operators are set to phase out the 'second generation mobile network' - better known as 2G - by the end of 2026, with 3G to follow by the end of 2028 and 2029, depending on the individual carrier's timeline . The 2G and 3G networks were deployed in the 1990s and early 2000s - 2G being the first digital mobile network - and today they represent only a small portion of telecommunications and internet traffic. As such, French companies have begun to follow global trends as they phase them out, preferring to switch entirely to the newer generation 4G and 5G networks, which run more efficiently and offer enhanced security, according to the country's telecommunications regulator, Arcep . Which devices will be affected by the phasing out of 2G? Nevertheless, there are still some devices and technologies that operate on the 2G network. Notably, 230,000 elevators across France - almost half the country's elevator stock - have their alarm systems connected to the 2G mobile network. As such, the alarm systems, which use a piece of equipment similar to a SIM card, will need to be replaced in the coming months. Advertisement Many buildings have already begun the process. Sales manager for EMR Elevators, Logan Leleu, told Franceinfo in mid-August: "There is a lot of demand at the moment. We are installing an average of 30 new call devices per week." Alarm and monitoring systems, like home security alarms and personal alarm devices for elderly people, often still contact emergency services via the 2G network. According to Le Parisien , an estimated 700,000 'remote monitoring' devices still use the 2G network. Meanwhile, many intercoms and videophones for residential buildings also rely on the 2G network. As for elevators, many are located in residential apartment blocks, which are managed by homeowner associations ( copropriétés ). Members of the copropriété must meet to agree on building-wide expenses, such as updates to the elevator. Some elevator companies have begun requesting extensions from telecommunications companies, in anticipation that it may take copropriétés several months to vote to update their elevator systems, Franceinfo reported. For individuals who are concerned their devices might run on the 2G network, you can reach out to the manufacturer or your telephone company to request clarification. READ MORE: France to increase electricity charges for households without a Linky What about mobile phones? As of July 2025, more than 99.8 percent of 2G and 3G transmission sites were already equipped with 4G, according to the French government , with 4G available in more than 99.9 percent of the country. You can also check to see the coverage in your area via the interactive Arcep map. If you have any doubts about your own device, you can search for the model plus 'compatibility 4G' (or compatibilité 4G in French).

Australian court fines Qantas US$59 million for illegal layoffs
Australian court fines Qantas US$59 million for illegal layoffs

France 24

time2 days ago

  • France 24

Australian court fines Qantas US$59 million for illegal layoffs

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said he wanted the penalty to be a "real deterrence" to firms that might be tempted by the financial rewards of breaching employment law. Qantas decided to sack the workers and outsource their jobs in August 2020, a period of lockdowns and border closures when no Covid-19 vaccine was widely available. Australia's Federal Court subsequently found that Qantas had acted illegally despite its stated "commercial imperatives" because it prevented staff from accessing their rights to collectively bargain or take industrial action. It later dismissed an appeal by the airline. Long-dubbed the "Spirit of Australia", 104-year-old Qantas has been on a mission to repair its reputation, which was hit in recent years by the illegal sackings, soaring ticket prices, claims of sloppy service, and the selling of seats on already-cancelled flights. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson took over in 2023, promising to improve customer satisfaction. She replaced Alan Joyce, who stepped down earlier than planned as Qantas endured criticism over its treatment of workers and passengers, despite delivering bumper profits for shareholders. 'We sincerely apologise' Qantas said it accepted the penalty. "The decision to outsource five years ago, particularly during such an uncertain time, caused genuine hardship for many of our former team and their families," Hudson said. "We sincerely apologise to each and every one of the 1,820 ground handling employees and to their families who suffered as a result," she said in a statement. Qantas had worked for 18 months to change the way it works and "rebuild trust", the airline boss said. "This remains our highest priority as we work to earn back the trust we lost." Qantas' fine is to be paid in two parts, the court said, with Aus$50 million going to the Transport Workers Union and Aus$40 million being held for future payments to the former workers. The penalty is in addition to a compensation payment of Aus$120 million for affected former employees that Qantas agreed to last year. "It has been five long years. Today is a victory, not just for our colleagues but for all Australian workers," said Anne Guirguis, who worked at Qantas for 27 years cleaning aircraft before being laid off. "We can close this chapter and move on now," Guirguis told reporters outside court. Transport Workers' Union National Secretary Michael Kaine described Monday's decision as a "final win" for the Qantas workers. "Qantas was not sorry to workers when it illegally outsourced these workers, many finding out they'd lost their jobs over a loudspeaker in the lunch room," Kaine said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store