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Ten people at telecoms firm Orange France have committed suicide in the past three months, and a report says all of the deaths were 'explicitly related to work'
* Ten people at French telecoms firm commit suicide in three months

* Report says all of the deaths were 'explicitly related to work' at Orange

* Staff have complained about 'bullying culture' at Orange France

Ten people working for one of Europe's largest telecom firms in France have committed suicide in the past three months for reasons 'explicitly related' to their jobs, it emerged today.

Orange France, a company also present in the UK, is notorious for its tough approach to customer services as well as their employees.

Staff working in call centres have previously complained about a 'bullying culture' and the firm, including having to ask permission to go to the bathroom.

The ten suicides so far in 2014 are almost as many as in the whole of last year - prompting a 'serious alert', according to the monitoring group, the Observatory for Stress and Forced Mobility.

A report says all of the deaths were 'explicitly related to work' at Orange, which is the new name for what used to be called France Telecom.

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Bad boss: Staff working in Orange France's call centres have previously complained about a 'bullying culture', and the firm saw 35 people commit suicide in 2009 (stock image)
The worst suicide spell to date was between 2008 and 2009 when 35 employees took their lives.

This prompted the resignation of the company boss, Didier Lombard, and had much to do with France Telecom trying to re-brand itself.

It was privatised in 2004, leading to huge job losses and an increased work load on those who remained.

Now the company, which became Orange in 2013 and employs around 100,000 people, is due to meet employee representatives to discuss the issue on Friday.

A spokesman confirmed to French news agency AFP that there had been 'several suicides' this year, and that 'these situations remind us to be vigilant'.

Orange call-centre staff have, in the past, complained of having to ask permission to go to the toilet or file a written explanation for going one-minute over a lunch break.

Senior staff say they have been bullied, with many having turned to antidepressants or taken extended sick-leave.