Although the electricity supply is not guaranteed to be available for winter 2022-2023 the management of EDF Hydro Alpes is slow in resolving the social conflict between it and its agents, which includes the La Bathie team responsible for maintaining its hydroelectric facilities.
Future and current maintenance projects at factories and dams are crucial for electricity supply security in France and Europe via interconnections. It plays an important role in maintaining the balance of the electric network.
The maintainers of La Bathie et EDF Hydro Alpes have been faced with many vacancies over the years and a lack of retention of agents. They also lost their technical knowledge.
Catherine Nardone (FO hydro union representative at EDF) wonders about "the disengagement by our management, national and local to deal urgently avec the legitimate claim for recognition of maintenance jobs.
Management must listen to maintainers and be able to recognize their various professions. To make their jobs more attractive and to retain them, they must be paid more. It is important to work on technical knowledge transmission in our facilities.
The management prefers to delay high-stakes projects over negotiating, despite the country's precarious energy situation due to the Ukrainian conflict and the shutting down of nuclear reactors. Management that fails to recognize that ski resorts are a key part of the economy in our territory. Our maintainers and electricity will be essential for the operation of ski lifts.
When telephoned, EDF hydro Alpes management declined to comment.
