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80,000 jobs threatened in the Bouches-du-Rhône

Some business executives are exhausted. While the government is calling for energy sobriety, it is asking the state for help to deal with rising energy prices. According to Philippe Korcia, president of UPE 13 (Union of companies of the Bouches-du-Rhône), 80,000 jobs are at risk. He hands over his concern to France Bleu Provence.

France Bleu Provence: What are the gas and electricity price increases that companies will experience in the coming weeks?

Philippe Korcia, president of UPE13: They will be titanic. We end up with hikes of 200, 300 or 400% in business sectors that have already been hit hard. I am thinking in particular of the catering and bakery sectors and of course all industries. The state saved the companies with the ‘at any cost’ during the health crisis. But there, you know, I have a feeling, is that we are on the ‘whatever happens‘. Whatever happens, we will grow companies. Whatever happens, we will continue to pursue this suicidal energy cost policy.

Will no company benefit from the tariff shield? Or does it depend on the companies?

It depends on the contracts you have. If you have a valid contract for the year 2023, you can still try to find solutions. But if the contracts end in 2022, and you have to take over a new contract with EDF or others in 2023, it’s the same thing. And then we end up with incredible raises, even for small businesses.

Are all activities affected?

Of course, even small businesses. All businesses are affected. It’s not just an effect for large companies that produce a lot. To give an example, in a Marseille restaurant that manages about thirty employees, the bill was 58,000 euros in 2021. In 2023 it will rise to 136,000 euros. There is also agribusiness. In this sector the bill ranges from 52,000 to 590,000 euros. So there you have to stop. Personally I would like companies to be told to cut a degree and to make eco-responsible gestures so that there are no cuts. But wait, there’s no risk of cuts there, it’s just that we’ll close!

Are companies therefore clearly threatened with bankruptcy in the coming months?

“There are 120,000 businesses in our area and 25% of them are at risk. We are talking about 80,000 jobs at risk. So now we still have to realize what is happening. Disaster. If we had a coherent policy from the beginning , in particular on nuclear power, we would not be here, at the moment 50 percent of the electricity produced by nuclear power plants is not produced because it has stopped, there is more than the urgency there.

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