Victory for Molex – The Point

The Court of Appeal of Toulouse said Tuesday “without real cause or serious” the dismissal of 191 former employees of Molex automotive connectors group, giving them a total of about 7 million euros in compensation, has their lawyer said. In their decisions, the judges felt that the automotive company Molex connectors of Automotiv, MAS said in Villemur-sur-Tarn (Haute-Garonne) had acted “with culpable lightness”, welcomed Jean-Marc Denjean , counsel for the employees.

the lawyer expressed his “great satisfaction”. Laid off after a long labor dispute, employees have been nicknamed “The Molex ‘at their iconic fight against” stock dismissals “and” rogue bosses “. According to Mr. Denjean, the Court of Appeal of Toulouse “understood the meaning of combat” former employees of Molex and unjustified layoffs “figure in full” after nearly “eight years of fighting.”

the announcement of a job protection plan for the 280 employees had been made in November 2008. the closing was completed on 1 October 2009. the court of appeal of Toulouse has vindicated these former employees because it believes the closure decision is not based on the crisis in the sector “since it was taken before the deterioration of the market.” For judges, the closure has been decided not to “save” the site’s competitiveness but “in reality to save money and increase the group’s profitability.”

And also blame the company not having made “fair and serious research reclassification for its employees.” “All reports show that during the period 2004-2009, the dividends paid to shareholders by the group were multiplied by six in 2009 and represented a total of $ 100 million” (about 72 ME rate of time), it said in the judgment of which AFP obtained a copy.

Several judicial bouncing

When asked, the liquidator of Molex, Jérôme Pierrel said in email to Agence France-Presse “regret that only the AGS and liquidation borne” a decision he did not comment on the content because it “has not (s) has possession “.

in March 2014, the Toulouse industrial tribunal had ruled that the dismissals were unfounded, and provided more than 10 million euros in damages to employees. But the payment was suspended following the call of Molex. In December 2015, Bordeaux appeal court of after a judgment of the Court of Cassation ruled that the US parent company of Molex could not be held responsible for the closure of 2009-2010 the factory of Villemur -sur-Tarn (Haute-Garonne), which employed 283 people, nor be considered as co-employer along with its French subsidiary liquidated.

Toulouse appeal The court s’ was examined in May on the situation of 191 former employees who considered their dismissal “unjustified”. Tuesday they got compensation ranging from 7,200 euros for a part-time worker to 80 000, representing a total of about 7 million, according to the count of Denjean me, which made the judgment read . The leadership of Molex has two months to lodge an appeal. The leadership of Molex has two months to lodge an appeal.

Automotiv Molex, through its liquidator, has two months to lodge an appeal. In this case, the damages are suspended, told me Denjean, adding that other procedures are underway. They cover four officers and twenty employees protected. For me Denjean, the Toulouse decision appears as a “great satisfaction.” “The Court of Appeal of Toulouse” understood the meaning of fight “former employees of Molex and unjustified dismissals” appear in full “after nearly” eight years of struggle, “he said during a press conference.

for the former secretary of the CGT CE Denis Parise, this success has still a slightly bitter taste. “it’s Molex Molex closes but does not pay . AGS will have to substitute. And that is unfortunate, “he lamented, referring to the decision of the Bordeaux Court of Appeal which exonerated the parent company.