France: Orange submits gender equality agreement – including AI provisions – for union approval

Unité d'intervention Orange
The three representative trade unions at Orange France have until 10 December to validate an agreement on gender equality, work–life balance and anti-discrimination measures. While the text includes commitments to address AI-related bias and introduces part-time parental leave, it falls short for the CFE-CGC – the leading union – which argues that it lacks concrete, measurable targets.
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After more than a year of negotiations, the representative unions of Orange France (68,000 employees) have invited to sign a draft agreement on professional equality for the period 2025-2027 on 10 December, mind RH has learned. Its adoption will depend on the decision of CGT members, who have until the evening of 9 December to vote, while the CFDT has already announced its intention to sign it and the CFE-CGC, which has a majority, plans to reject it. The text renews the commitments of the previous agreement, valid for the period 2022-2024 and extended for a few months thereafter. As such, provisions aimed at giving priority to female candidates with equivalent skills and qualifications, when they are under-represented in a profession, and requiring suppliers to include a CSR clause to encourage them to promote professional equality, are extended.

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