Most companies across the globe have reached tough decisions about large-scale layoffs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. French Sanofi is also ready for this move, though the leading pharmaceutical company has been unaffected by the crisis. Such massive job cuts caused outrage among trade unions in France.  

Paris-based biopharmaceutical giant Sanofi has announced that 1,700 employees would be fired in Europe. 1,000 people could be made redundant in France.

The news came like a bombshell as Sanofi is the least expected company to fire its people. Unlike the manufacturing or service sectors, the coronavirus-driven crisis contributed to soaring sales of Sanofi-made medication. It goes without saying that the pharmaceutical industry around the world has benefited from the pandemic despite the shutdown in national economies. Remarkably, the French authorities have allocated Sanofi €610 million for the vaccine research and the creation of extra 200 jobs.

Trade unions are puzzling out the reasons why the successful company aided by the government made this decision. Oddly enough, the management has evaded any comments on layoffs and production problems.

Citing Sanofi’s chief in France Olivier Bogillot, the company is going to terminate contracts entirely at employees’ request. Almost all divisions will be subject to layoffs, including research, marketing, and logistics.