45.000 jobs have disappeared at PSA under the effect of successive social plans. Due to a lack of recruitment, manufacturers have an aging workforce

We had seen the reasons for this disaster recently, but sometimes you have to put numbers on the words...

45.000 jobs have disappeared at PSA under the effect of successive social plans. Due to a lack of recruitment, manufacturers have an aging workforce

The turn of the screw continues at PSA. As expected, the management yesterday presented its employment projections for 2015. As part of the social contract negotiated with its unions, the management expects 1500 senior leaves – the employee can leave two years before retirement, remains on the workforce , but only receives 70% of his salary – as well as 1400 internal moves, 550 secure external moves (the employee can return to the group if he wishes). Movements intended to save money, which will be offset by 550 recruitments on permanent contracts, as well as the hiring of 2000 young people on work-study contracts.

Behind this reorganization, it is the social balance sheet drawn up by PSA which is particularly striking. It reflects, just like at Renault, the bleeding experienced by the two manufacturers over the last ten years. “Now we have a clear and very precise vision of the workforce,” says Christian Lafaye, Force Ouvrière delegate. According to documents sent to the unions, Peugeot Citroën Automobile (PCA), which brings together factories and engineering centers in France, only had 58.100 employees at the end of September. This should place the 2014 workforce of the automotive division (PCA, distribution networks, etc.) between 65.000 and 67.000 employees, a far cry from the 100.000 employees employed ten years ago, in 2004. Overall, the group's workforce (by integrating Faurecia, PSA Finances...) will amount to less than 83.000 employees, i.e. a drop of 45.000 jobs in ten years, both due to restructuring (departure plan in 2011, closure of Aulnay... .), but also various disposals (Citer, Gefco, etc.).

Industrial overcapacity on a European market in crisis, loss of overall competitiveness of French sites, location of production internationally... French sites have suffered from a series of known factors, which are the same on Renault's side. If the Diamond manufacturer had started its restructuring earlier than PSA, it still reduced its French workforce by 36%, or 27.633 fewer jobs over the same decade. And the group is still in the process of cutting 8200 jobs, provided for under the competitiveness agreement signed in 2013. A process that extends until 2016.

International progress

Overall, therefore, more than 70.000 jobs have been eliminated by manufacturers over ten years. If at the same time, the international workforce has increased (57% of the PSA group workforce is international, compared to 40% ten years ago, while the ratio has increased from 42 to 60% at Renault) , the results of the decade are impressive. At PSA, a single site now employs more than 10.000 employees (Sochaux, with 10.300), while at Renault, it is Douai, with 4.200 employees, which stands out as the most provided site. Engineering and R&D have also contributed to this collapse (2000 job cuts at Renault recorded in 2013).

Have we hit rock bottom? As part of the competitiveness agreements, Renault and PSA have undertaken not to close any factories by 2016. PSA guarantees a volume of 1 million vehicles produced in 2017, and intends to maintain 75% of the engineering workforce and R&D in the territory. The fact remains that 29% of the 58.000 employees occupy a risky profession. Hence the need to redeploy skills. So many complex social projects to carry out even though care must be taken to maintain the balance of ages. “During all these years of restructuring, manufacturers have not recruited, hence the aging workforce. However, in the automobile, the average age has a high impact on competitiveness,” says Bernard Jullien, from the Gerpisa research center. In 2013, 34% of PCA employees were aged over 50, while the figure rose to 30,2% for Renault employees in France.

Source (s): Lesechos.fr via Businessbourse.com

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