ArcelorMittal, which announced the closure of its Reims and Denain facilities (135 employees) on November 25, Le Coq sportif (330 employees) was declared bankrupt two days earlier, the fate of the 450 employees of the Vencorex chemical factory was suspended until March. and, more recently, on Wednesday, November 27, 868 layoffs at the automobile supplier Valeo… The announcement of the closure of two Michelin plants and The news of Auchan’s restructuring plan, which on Tuesday, November 5 led to layoffs of almost 4,000 employees in a single day, it was a surprise. The morale of the French is affected: their fears of unemployment are at their highest level since May 2021, indicates INSEE, Wednesday, November 27.
The wave of business bankruptcies, announced several months ago, is already here. The number of open collective procedures – including, therefore, safeguard procedures, initiated as soon as defaults on payments, receiverships and judicial liquidations occur – is the highest in fifteen years. “ “We should reach about 65,000 procedures in total by the end of 2024”estimates François-Charles Desprat, president of the National Council of Administrators and Judicial Agents.
“During the first ten months of the year, this exceptional volume of bankruptcies (approximately 55,000 bankruptcies occur per year at cruising speed) directly affects more than 160,000 jobs. » A spectacular figure, but one that has increased less rapidly than the number of bankruptcies, 20% more than in 2023. Explanation: “We are observing a significant flow of very small companies, without employees and sometimes without activity », explains Mr. Desprat. On the real estate sector, which was greatly affected during the first eight months of the year, it seems to be experiencing a respite. On the other hand, among the files that arrive at the offices of administrators and legal representatives: construction companies, commerce, accommodation and restaurant sector, etc.
Added to the accumulation of bankruptcies are the announcements of restructuring outside of any legal procedure. On Wednesday, November 27, the CGT indicated that it had identified 286 job reduction plans since September 2023, estimating that between 128,250 and 200,330 direct, indirect and induced jobs are eliminated or threatened. Its general secretary, Sophie Binet, asked employees to “go on strike and occupy their factories” facing this “bleeding”.
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