North Marseille fights to keep key McDonalds open
Residents and employees of north Marseille are fighting to keep a McDonald鈥檚 restaurant open after it was announced it would be sold and replaced.
With 77 members of staff, the site has become the second-largest employer in the area over the past 26 years, where unemployment levels are estimated to be at over 40% among young people.
Yet, McDonald鈥檚 France loss-making, having built up a deficit of three million euros in the past 10 years.
The current owner plans to sell the McDonald鈥檚, invest 鈧�500,000 in the site, and replace the restaurant with an Asian, halal fast-food operation.
Current employees have that their jobs will remain, but they deem the investment amount to be too little, too late, and the plan as 鈥渢hinly-veiled social engineering鈥�.
Of the 77 employees, 65 are on CDI contracts (permanent contracts without an end date), with just 12 on short-term contracts.
Many staff most of their working lives at the restaurant, and others have claimed that working at the site offered some a much-needed 鈥渟econd chance鈥� and employment in a deprived and troubled area.
S茅bastien Bordas, vice-president of McDonald鈥檚 France, : 鈥淭he project is concrete and real, including 鈧�500,000 of investment鈥and] definite guarantees on staff employment.鈥�
The final decision is expected to be made this week, as the case goes before the Marseille High Court tomorrow (September 7).
