Can electrification reverse the decline? The French automotive industry and the green transition

In this report we present the current implications of the electrification of the automotive industry for employment in France. Firstly, we will review the general context in which this industry is evolving, in particular its structural decline over the last twenty years. We cannot understand the specific challenges of electrification unless we place it in the context of the decline and de-industrialisation that began in the early 2000s. Secondly, we will look at the strategies of different stakeholders of the industry, mainly the automotive groups and trade unions. Thirdly, we will look at the new industrial projects around battery manufacturing and mechanical production, and the issues at stake for autoworkers in terms of employment and working conditions. Finally, we will conclude by discussing the various implications for automotive workers in France.