Manpower: Rachid Brihi, lawyer at the Grumbach et Associés law firm, tells us, “Uni Europa, CGT and Unite sue Manpower for obstruction of establishment of a European Works Council”

“We’ve pressed charges against Manpower France to demand the establishment of an EWC by virtue of the subsidiary provisions included in the French Labor Code,” Rachid Brihi, lawyer at the Grumbach et Associés law firm, told Planet Labor.  In the background of this dispute - apparently a first - is notably the question of the conditions to appoint, in Europe, a representatives of the central management of a non-European group, a key point as it determines the applicable law.  In this case, the stakes are high as the solution will determine whether the future EWC will be under British or French law.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

July 3 will be the summary proceedings at the regional court of Paris within the framework of the charges pressed by Uni Europa, the European trade union federation, the CGT, the French trade union, and Unite, the British union. They are filing for “ManpowerGroup’s management obstructing to the establishment of a European Works Council, voluntary and fraudulently causing the introduction of a Special Negotiating Body (SNB) to fail.”

Facts. In their summons, the plaintiffs write that, on May 28

…
Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
France: EDF served formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations
The news. On 23 September, Greenpeace France announced that it had served EDF with a formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations due to the risks of harm...
24 September 2026
Austria: National Council adopts tax bonus for post-retirement work 
The News. The Austrian National Council (lower house of parliament) passed an active retirement law (Aktivpension) on 23 September. The text introduces a tax allowance of up to €1,250 per...
Germany: IG Metall demands 5% pay rise amid severe pressure
Despite the crisis hitting the automotive industry, the leadership of the German trade union IG Metall announced on Wednesday 23 September that it would be asking for a 5% pay increase as well as...
23 September 2026
Florent Rispoli (ADP): “Our goal is to take an open and inclusive approach to parenthood”
Appointed in November 2025 as Vice President Human Ressources for France and Switzerland at ADP (2,000 employees in France), a specialist in HR management and payroll solutions, Florent Rispoli...
23 September 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Italy: Enel signs agreement to manage the effects of AI on work
An agreement signed at the end of July by the electricity company Enel (31,000 employees) and the unions Filctem-Cgil, Flaei-Cisl, and Uiltec is pioneering in the Italian energy sector. It aims to...
7 September 2026
2
Italy: artificial Intelligence on the menu of Barilla’s new company agreement
Prior consultation with trade unions on innovations related to artificial intelligence, strengthened training, and progress on parenthood: these are the main new features of the agreement signed...
2 September 2026
3
France: final document on the work of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference
After six months of discussions between French social partners, the guarantors of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference submitted the conclusions of the discussions to the Prime Minister...
17 September 2026
4
Germany: a high-tension start to the social and political year
The German government must finalize its major reforms (pension funding, corporate competitiveness, and labor law) while the chancellor’s popularity hits an all-time low and three regional...
5
Germany: working time dispute between Mercedes and the IG Metall Union
The news. At the beginning of September, Mercedes-Benz asked employee representatives and the IG Metall union to agree to an increase in the weekly working time from 35 to 40 hours, without any...
16 September 2026
6
Sweden: IF Metall union forced to end industrial dispute with Tesla
The news. After three years of conflict, the Swedish union IF Metall announced it would suspend its strike actions against Tesla starting Wednesday, August 19, after the American automaker...