Strike in ORPEA France as scandals continue – EPSU expresses solidarity with workers

Strike in ORPEA France

Strike in ORPEA France

(3 June 2022) Workers in the homes and clinics of the multinational company ORPEA are following a call for strike action from French union CGT-Santé. Strikes have already begun in several homes, set to continue for an undefined period. The action comes following the company’s announcement of significant profits in 2021 – while taking away the bonus payment for the workforce. The company wants the workers to pay the price of the collapse of its stock value (around 75% since end of January 2022) caused by the significant management scandals. EPSU and unions organising workers in ORPEA have expressed their solidarity in a joint statement.

And more scandals

The company continues to be rocked by new revelations of its corrupt management and focus on making money from residents and workers. New information has recently been published by Investigate Europe that revealed how the company made deals and worked with lavish secret commissions.

The author of Les Fossoyeurs, the book that revealed the nature of the system to make money in the care sector, published an update on his book. In the new article Victor Castanet refers to the corrupt management practices and how the management spied on each other and on unions, focusing specifically on the work of Human Resource Director Bertrand Desriaux. Castanet also refers to the work CICTAR has been doing to uncover the concealed companies in Luxembourg as part of its real estate operations.

The various investors in the company like the Canadian Public Pension Fund (CCPIB) remain utterly silent in the public domain on the behaviour of the company. These investors condoned the practices of the company as share prices went up while being present in the company’s board. They satisfied themselves with tick-box exercises regarding purported corporate changes.

The company’s scandals and revelations continue to come to light – and we have brought them together here.