The Fnac				
Exploiter.com

Or: Get your cultural fast food at FnacDonald’s

The Fnac has 84 stores, 58 in France, and the rest in Europe, Taiwan, and Brazil, with a total workforce of about 10,000.
Designed in 1954 by André Essel and Max Théret as a bulk buying organization, the Fnac ultimately became a victim of its own success, to the point of losing its soul. Since 1994, it belongs to Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), France’s number 1 non-food retailer, encompassing chains as renowned and profitable as Pinault, Printemps, Conforama, La Redoute, Finaref (financial services), Rexel and Gucci. PPR head François Pinault generously awarded himself a 36% raise at the beginning of the year, although he pays no taxes.
As one of the global leaders in niche retailing, PRP employs over 108,000 workers. It boasted consolidated revenues of €27,798.5 million in 2001, up 12.3%.
In 2001, the Fnac alone recorded €3,347,4 million in sales, marking a 14.1% increase on the preceding year. “Our stores in France achieved 8.5% growth, driven by double-digit growth in publishing products. The Fnac now derives 18.8% of its revenues from outside of France (16.3% in 2000), with double-digit growth in Spain, Portugal and Brazil” (http://www.pprgroup.com/). Wow!!

So where does all this money end up?

Certainly not in the pockets of workers at the Fnac on the Champs Elysées! The store’s 220 employees, many of them young people, work 7 days a week, often on a part-time basis, with business hours running from 10 a.m. to midnight. Turnover is extremely high, and average monthly pay is only around €1,000. In addition, wages at this outlet are lower than at the other Paris Fnac stores—by 200 to 300 euros. So there we have the secret behind this chain’s impressive growth in sales and profits: blatant exploitation, right on the world’s most luxurious avenue.

The store’s workers have been out on strike since February 13th, 2002. They demand the same contract conditions as at the other Fnac stores, a monthly raise of €120, a vacation bonus, a strenuous work allowance (since they work in a basement) and a one-time bonus for the sales staff in the World Music department (who had do to manage without a department head for an entire year).

Instead of negotiating in good faith, management has appealed to the courts and refused so far to enter into discussions. But this contemptuous attitude has only succeeded in strengthening the strikers’ solidarity and determination.

Boycott the Champs Elysées Fnac until their demands have been met!
Solidarity with the strikers!

Collective for supporting the Fnac workers in struggle

AARRG, AC!, Alternative Libertaire, CGT (CGT Fast-Food Collective, BHV, Spectacle, FIAP, Louvre, Disney, IBIS-Groupe ACCOR, Pizza Hut, Maxi-Livres, Mc Do Champs Elysées, Proofreaders), CNT 95, Comité MRAP Vè-XIIIè, Compagnie Jolie Môme, Coordination des Travailleurs Précaires, COSIMAPP, Fédération anarchiste Groupe Louise Michel, G10-Solidaires Paris, Jeunesse Communiste Paris, Jeunesse Communiste Révolutionnaire, Jeunes Verts, Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire, Organisation Communiste Libertaire, Parti Communiste Français, Réseau Stop-Précarité, SCALP-Reflex, Les Verts Paris, Voie prolétarienne/Partisan as well as numerous other individuals.

Fnac strikers contact person:  Stéphane, at 06-62-28-91-57 or souchustephane@hotmail.com
Strike Support Group:  Abdel Mabrouki, at 06-09-53-68-08, or Bernard, at 06-19-72-88-89
Financial support. This struggle means not only refusing to shop in this store, but also financially assisting the strikers, according to the means each of us has. Every day, the strike fund receives contributions from people stopping by the picket line, organizations sending in checks and public events at which collections are taken up.

Financial support for the strikers:  Checks should be sent and made out to l’Union Syndicale CGT Commerce – 67 rue de Turbigo 75003 Paris. The words “solidarité aux grévistes de la Fnac” should be added on the back of the check.