Moët Hennessy Workers Strike After Losing Annual Bonus Worth Up to 30 Percent of Salary

Workers at Moët Hennessy Champagne Services (MHCS), the champagne division of luxury group LVMH, staged a strike on January 15, 2026, following a call from the French union CGT. The action comes after initial protests in December 2025 and follows failed negotiations over employee bonuses. On January 9, the CGT announced plans for a large worker assembly outside the Les Crayères site of Veuve-Clicquot in Reims, as well as at least three-hour work stoppages.

The main issue behind the strike is MHCS’s decision not to pay employees their annual profit-sharing bonus for the first time since the company was founded in 1968. According to the CGT, this bonus typically represents between 15 and 30 percent of workers’ annual salaries. MHCS management cited declining financial results for the second consecutive year as the reason for withholding the bonus. However, union representatives argue that LVMH still paid an advance dividend to shareholders, despite these financial challenges.

The dispute escalated after a wage negotiation session on January 8 between MHCS management and union representatives from CGT and CGC-CFE ended without agreement. Management offered a compensation payment of €1,000 gross per employee, which unions rejected as “completely inadequate.” The company declined to comment on the matter.

The protests come at a time when LVMH’s beverage division is under increasing financial pressure. French news magazine La Lettre published preliminary figures for Moët Hennessy’s operating results for fiscal year 2025, indicating a significant decline compared to 2024. This trend matches what LVMH’s quarterly reports for 2025 have already shown: a drop in operating income for its wine and spirits segment during the first half of last year. The official annual results from LVMH are expected to be released at the end of January.

The first signs of unrest appeared on December 11, 2025, with mobilizations at Moët & Chandon in Épernay. The current strike follows months of tension and failed negotiations over pay and bonuses. Workers gathered outside Veuve-Clicquot’s historic cellars in Reims to voice their concerns about lost income and what they see as unfair treatment compared to shareholders.

LVMH is one of France’s largest luxury groups, with brands including Moët & Chandon, Veuve-Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, and Hennessy under its beverage division. The outcome of these labor actions could have implications for both workers and the broader luxury beverage industry in France.