France: L'Equipe Journalists Have Been on Strike for Five Days

L'Équipe journalists reject the dismissal of 10 percent of the workers at one of France's leading sports newspapers.

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Since Friday, this newspaper's paper edition has not been published because members of the National Union of Journalists (SNJ) are on strike against the Amaury Group, which decided to fire 47 journalists and eight employees.

Besides controlling publications such as France Football or Velo Magazine, this business conglomerate owns the sports events organization company ASO, which is the world's largest operator of cycling events.

By reducing personnel at L'Equipe, the Amaury Group seeks to save some 5 million euros and avoid 6 million losses in 2021, which would happen as a result of the cancellation of the sports events and a drop in the newspaper's sales.

The meme reads, "Five days on strike, five days with no news."

Workers reject the business plan and argue that management has not really sought dialogue with the unions.

"There is no willingness to negotiate... We want to discuss the conditions of labor disengagement and the existence of a social plan. We are also concerned about working conditions after the layoffs," journalist Beatrice Avignon said.

"We have launched a solidarity box for those who are in greater difficulty but it is a shame to go that far. People are fed up with this contempt and there is a lot of anger," she added.