Decathlon workers strike over profit surge and stagnant wages
Decathlon strikes over 54% profit surge amid wage demands from 3,700 employees.
Event / Economy
Decathlon France Strike June 2026
Decathlon employees across France conducted a coordinated strike on June 6, 2026, organized by five unions in response to the company's refusal to implement automatic minimum wage increases following the June 1 SMIC revaluation, despite record profits of approximately one billion euros.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 6 Jun, 11:45 UTC
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What happened
Decathlon reports 54% increase in net profits while resisting wage increases
Decathlon announced improved financial results with a net profit of approximately one billion euros and a 54% increase in results. However, the company refused to pass through the June 2026 SMIC (minimum wage) increase to employee salaries or share profits with workers. Union communications emphasized the disparity between company profitability and stagnant worker compensation.
3,700 Decathlon employees sign petition demanding wage justice
An inter-union petition launched in late May 2026 gathered approximately 3,700 signatures from Decathlon employees calling for company leadership to address wage inequality and share profits with workers. The petition emphasized the stark career progression limitations, with only 100 euros monthly difference between entry-level and 10-year tenure employees.
Decathlon operates 324 stores in France with 103,000 global employees
Decathlon, founded in the 1970s by Michel Leclercq and currently led by his son Julien Leclercq, operates more than 1,900 stores worldwide with approximately 103,000 employees globally. In France specifically, the company operates 324 retail locations.
Decathlon employees called to strike on Saturday, June 6, 2026
Multiple unions (CFDT, CFTC, CGT, CFE-CGC, and Unsa) announced a national mobilization day for Decathlon employees on Saturday, June 6, 2026. This marks the first inter-union coordinated strike action at the company. Union delegate Sébastien Chauvin stated that stores would operate at reduced capacity, with 10-20 locations potentially closing.
Decathlon logistics workers plan strike for Monday, June 8, 2026
Union representatives indicated that Decathlon's logistics service was planning a strike for Monday, June 8, 2026, the day critical for replenishing store inventory. This potential follow-up action was positioned to apply additional pressure on company management to negotiate on wage structures.
SMIC minimum wage automatically revalued on June 1, 2026
France's SMIC (guaranteed minimum wage) was automatically revalued on June 1, 2026, resulting in an approximately 43 euro monthly increase for minimum wage earners. However, some Decathlon employees earning slightly below the SMIC did not benefit from this automatic adjustment.
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