SFR workers strike across France against €20.35 billion breakup sale to telecom rivals

Protests at Altice headquarters

On 24 September 2026, SFR employees staged nationwide strikes and walkouts against the planned €20.35 billion sale and breakup of the French telecommunications operator. Outside the Altice France headquarters in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, approximately 1,000 workers gathered facing the Ministry of the Armed Forces, displaying union smoke flares from Unsa and the CFDT. Altice, controlled by Patrick Drahi, agreed roughly four months earlier to sell SFR to a consortium formed by Bouygues Telecom, Orange, and Iliad's Free to pay down substantial group debt. Regional demonstrations also took place, including at the Saint-Herblain site near Nantes where 190 SFR staff and 240 technical colleagues gathered.

Protesters expressed frustration over the terms of the takeover, arguing that the social cost of the acquisition is being ignored. Geneviève, an employee with 17 years of service at SFR, spoke to fellow workers outside the Paris offices.

On ne se voile pas la face, on sait que ce rachat va se faire. Mais ce qu'on veut, c'est être entendu, qu'il y ait plus de nos collègues qui soient repris.

Workforce distribution and retail uncertainty

Union representatives, including CFDT, Unsa, and CFTC, stated that the split leaves thousands of workers without long-term employment. SFR currently employs approximately 8,000 workers. Under the transition scheme described by Unsa delegate François Monéger, Bouygues Telecom will take on 2,300 employees, while Orange and Free will absorb 500 employees combined. Another 2,000 workers will remain on temporary contracts for several years to decommission the operator's network before their roles end.

The retail network faces similar disruption. Staff from roughly 120 of SFR's 400 stores will transfer to the purchasing operators, though specific branch locations remain unselected. In cities like Nantes, where SFR operates seven retail locations, store staff joined the protests. Union representatives demanded that the consortium offer at least three job relocation proposals to each employee rather than the single option currently planned.

Subcontractor fallout and legal action

Union calculations indicate that the total number of threatened positions reaches nearly 12,500 when factoring in external contractors. Technicians at ERT, a subsidiary of Altice Technical Services that manages fibre installations, voiced alarm because SFR represents their exclusive client. ERT employees, including works manager Christine Valverde and design office specialist Samuel Anisis, reported receiving no information regarding their future, prompting ERT unions to schedule a strike for 30 September 2026.

SFR unions also lodged emergency legal proceedings (référé) against Altice France and the acquiring consortium to compel the disclosure of detailed transaction documents. The consortium stated that it has conducted six rounds of discussions with employee representatives, with additional sessions planned. The French Competition Authority (Autorité de la concurrence) is not expected to issue its regulatory ruling until late 2027, leaving the final closing of the acquisition postponed until 2028 at the earliest.