Dirty tricks

[Jo53]

Does anyone have any experience of dirty tricks by management in French companies? We 'have a friend' who is basically being scapegoated for the failings of the company he works for. Since the company failed to win a new contract it had been banking on, he has been subject to constant harassment and criticism from his manager and the manager above that(very convenient for them, as it deflects attention from their long-term responsibility for the situation). He has been set targets that are impossible to meet, and which in any case depend on the actions of other people over whom he has no power. He received a formal letter from his manager saying he was not fulfilling his job description; the letter contained a series of blatant untruths and false accusations of incompetence. A senior colleague has agreed with him that the letter is complete rubbish.

He prepared a reply to the letter, showing how each accusation of failure was untrue, and asked for a meeting with the personnel officer to discuss it. This meeting turned out to be a 2-against-1 situation, with the personnel people attacking him for disagreeing with his manager, and dismissing his point of view without discussion.

It seems fairly obvious that the company is trying to falsely accuse him of incompetence so that they can sack him without having to give him a payoff. Restructuring has left his job somewhat surplus to requirements, so this would be very convenient for them.

The management style at this company is high-handed and autocratic. Staff (even managers) are harangued and shouted at by those above them, and no dissent or independent thought is tolerated.

Our 'friend' has no desire to continue working with these salauds, but won't leave without a proper payoff. He knows he is doing the job at least as well as the people around him.

Anyway, my question is: does anyone recognise tactics like this? Do French companies often do this to people, or are we being paranoid? Any advice or shared experience gratefully received.

Jo

[Kevinmc]

Don't know about French companies, but the number one supermarket chain in the UK pulled exactly that type of heavy handed HR interview with my son, to cover the failings of a manger who was eventually caught out and transferred.

Tis the way of the corporate world, I'm afraid

[Val_2]

They have to send three consecutive letters by registered post to your friend stating the reasons why they wish to sack him etc. In France you just cannot sack someone on the spot. Your friend should seek legal advice and of course Les Prud' Hommes which is a tribunal to protect employees in France. He should know about them if he is a french national as they are feared by french management.

[SaligoBay]

>Anyway, my question is: does anyone
>recognise tactics like this?

Yes.

>Do
>French companies often do this
>to people,

I believe that a tendency towards this style of management wouldn't be considered unusual.

Msg in your inbox (that's the second time I've done that now, what a rebel I am).

[pitway]

Good Heavens!! Thats what I left behind in England, I always said that France was like living in the 60's in England, but it seems that work practice had caught up quickly

Sue

[Sasha]

Hi there

It's the new style of business now days and it's not just in France. For over 6 years I work long hours for a UK company creating new markets in Ireland and Scotland. In 2002 1 week after returning from holiday I was advised I was being made redundant,reason being that the accounts manager required savings and my regions, being new where the ones to get the chop. No notice No discussion, no huge redundancy pakage and not a leg to stand on. At 55 It's a blow, but hey it's in the past and really it was it that spurred me on to come and live hear.

Advice for your friend: Life is not a rehersal and any job that creates this type of unhealthy environment is not worth it...chances are they're in trouble so GET OUT NOW!!

Regards

Mike

[Richardbk]

due to the difficulty in sacking people in France, some employers (often small/medium) will often use all sorts of ways to try and stress the person into leaving. A friend of ours was pregnant and in order to get rid of her, they started sendning her away on buisness trips that involved very long car journeys -of course eventually she had to stop ! - so no this sort of behaviour doesn't surprise me at all.



regs

Richard

[Minouette]

Hi Jo
Maybe your friend could get some advice from a Conseiller du Travail? List of these is available in all Mairies.

It might be that they can only help if/when he is actually dismissed (as happened in my case) but it could be worth the phone call to find out.

Good luck
Minou