BAT tobacconist in Boncourt to close despite staff proposals – rts.ch
It’s over for the old Burrus plant: British American Tobacco (BAT) management has rejected employee and union proposals to save all or part of the Jura site. The Boncourt Column, which employs 220 people, will close in 2023.
During the consultation, the staff showed themselves willing to reorganize the whole operation of the Boncourt plant in order to improve margins: if the group’s British management said they liked it, they didn’t change their mind too much. So all this will be for nothing.
The group’s decision is irreversible, with a global strategy, other locations in Europe are affected.
On October 27, the tobacco company announced its intention to close the Boncourt location. But legally, he had to open a consultation period. The Personnel Committee and Unions Together, 36 people worked for over 3 weeks to try to get the BAT to reconsider its intentions.
>> Also read: Unions want to fight to save Boncourt’s BAT jobs
Several waves of layoffs
“The dismissals will be announced, in several installments, over the next year,” Unionia’s Yves Deferard said on Wednesday, confirming information from RTS. Labor representatives noted, however, that “significant” improvements had been achieved at the social level, “even if a group like BAT could do more”.
The social plan contains guarantees for the payment of benefits, includes years of seniority, offers early retirement, takes into account family situations, and facilitates the search for a new job.
A 13-person delegation worked towards this goal, through 16 rounds of negotiations. “It’s a very good social plan,” Yves Deferard elaborated, while acknowledging that disappointment prevailed.
>> Also read: The historic Boncourt tobacco factory risks closing its doors
The blow is also harsh on public authorities, as BAT is one of the largest taxpayers in the canton of Jura. The municipality of Boncourt, with a population of 1,200, has also postponed the development of its 2023 budget, pending the decision of the BAT. The city’s mayor has indicated that if BAT were to go, a gap of 25% of the budget would have to be filled.
>> Listen also to La Matinale:
Burrus, which thus became BAT, was founded in 1814. Between Cigarette and Boncourt, the love story lasted more than two centuries.
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