Fri Jun 13 07:22:46 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article, formatted for readability:

**Summary:**

Unilever workers in Ivory Coast are protesting the company’s refusal to guarantee severance pay in the event of layoffs following the sale of its Ivorian business unit to a local consortium. Workers fear job losses as the sale involves only domestic brands, leaving the fate of Unilever’s international brands in Ivory Coast uncertain. Their collective bargaining agreement promises severance pay in such a scenario, but Unilever claims the agreement is not relevant as employees’ contracts will continue. Workers argue this violates their rights and contrasts sharply with Unilever’s generous guarantees to European workers facing a similar spin-off.

**News Article:**

**Unilever Faces Labor Dispute in Ivory Coast Over Severance Pay**

**LONDON/ABIDJAN – June 13, 2025** – Unilever, the global consumer goods giant, is embroiled in a labor dispute in Ivory Coast as workers protest the potential loss of severance benefits following the sale of its Ivorian business unit. Employees fear that the sale, which includes only Unilever’s domestic brands in Ivory Coast, to a local consortium led by Société de Distribution de Toutes Marchandises Côte d’Ivoire (SDTM), will lead to layoffs.

The core of the dispute lies in Unilever’s refusal to guarantee severance pay, as stipulated in the workers’ collective bargaining agreement. The agreement, dating back to 2004, promises severance pay of one month’s average gross salary per year of seniority, up to a maximum of 18 months, in the event of layoffs related to the disposal of the Ivory Coast business.

Unilever maintains that the sale is structured as a transfer of shares, meaning employees’ contracts will not be terminated, thus making severance pay “not relevant.” However, workers argue that the exclusion of Unilever’s international brands, which represent over 60% of Unilever Cote d’Ivoire’s turnover, puts their jobs at risk.

“Since the share sale excludes the most important brands, job security is at risk,” said Soualiho Lassomann Diomande, a lawyer representing the workers.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that SDTM will only be taking over Unilever’s domestic brand business. Unilever has not clarified how its international brands will be sold in Ivory Coast in the future.

Workers are also citing Article 16.6 of the Ivorian Labor Code, which requires employee agreement for any substantial modification of an employment contract.

The workers argue that Unilever’s stance is discriminatory, particularly in light of a recent agreement in Europe where the company guaranteed employment terms for ice cream workers for at least three years following a spin-off. The Ivorian workers have requested a two-year guarantee, a year less than the European deal.

“Not applying the same conditions in Ivory Coast is unequal treatment and negative discrimination,” Diomande stated.

Unilever announced earlier last year a plan to cut 7,500 jobs globally as part of a turnaround strategy.

The protests began on April 25 and are ongoing as workers seek assurances regarding their job security and the fulfillment of their collective bargaining agreement.

Unilever declined to comment on the specifics of the collective bargaining agreement.

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