Louis Vuitton factory workers in France stage walkout demanding higher pay, protesting against changes in working hours

As reported by French local media Le Monde, Louis Vuitton factory workers on 10 February staged a walkout demanding higher wages while at the same time protesting against the changes in working hours proposed by the management. 

This walkout was organised by the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) and the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), two labour unions in France, and occurred at 5 of the 18 Louis Vuitton factories in France.

Louis Vuitton offered an average [salary] rise of €150 per month, coupled with a reduction in working hours from to 33 hours per week from 35 hours in order to ensure its workers’ work-life balance. 

However, the unions said that the scheme is only seen as Louis Vuitton’s attempt to get rid of day shifts, and switch to morning and evening ones instead and it would affect overtime pay. 

“It will simply go to the detriment of our private life. Switching from 35 to 33 hours [per week] won’t generate additional working time reductions [known in France as RTT] and will force us to work late in the evenings,” said Mireille Bordet, a CFDT representative in Asnières, as reported by Fashion Network. 

“The management is tying salary rises to the working hours [change],” said Bordet. “They said that if the project is approved, [wages] will rise, but if not, they will give us nothing,” she added. 

Louis Vuitton estimated that 5.3% of employees participated in the walkout with some of them seen holding signs about “fantastic work for pitiful salaries”. 

The unions clarified that they had been working with Louis Vuitton since the fall. However, on Tuesday the management asked the unions to sign off on their proposal this week, triggering their hostility.

They also denounced an attempt “to force the deal through” and threatened to call for strike action “within a week” should their demands not be fulfilled.