Occupation of the Town Hall of the 13th arrondissement in Paris

On Wednesday June 9, dozens of striking garbage collectors invaded the town hall of the 13th arrondissement of Paris. They were protesting against the transformative reform of the civil service. This law puts an end to the derogatory situations in terms of working time.

This initiative took place 2 weeks after the occupation of the Town Hall and the start of the strike on May 25. This movement affects employees of the City of Paris, Social Action Centers, museums, spaces and gardens but also the cleaning professions.

Town hall of the 13th occupied

The town hall of the 13th arrondissement of Paris was the start of the May 27 demonstration. For the second time, on June 9, it was at the center of the demands of the agents of the DPE (Department of Cleanliness and Water of the City). Garbage collectors invaded the building, causing jostling and severe damage.

Jérôme Coumet, mayor of the 13th arrondissement, found hundreds of documents scattered in the hall and the stairs, overturned collection bins and stocks of stolen anti-covid masks. Historic street furniture has been damaged. Among the degraded documents, are all the files related to the vaccination against Covid-19. “All documents from the vaccination center were destroyed.” The elected representative deplores this violence, theft and degradation which are not legitimate actions, according to him. The mayor should file a complaint.

Reminder of agents’ fears

The main demands are based on the reduction of working time from 1,552 to 1,607 hours. This measure stems from the reform of the transformation of the public service, voted in 2019. The agents denounce the loss of 8 days of leave, which the City refutes.

Negotiations are underway on an additional working day, according to Antoine Guillou, human resources assistant for the city. The City Council says itself “not to be at the initiative of this law” and “disapproves of its objectives, having unfortunately no other choice but to implement it”. Anne Hidalgo had requested a postponement of application to the Minister of Public Service, but it was refused.

Antoine Guillou, proposes to modify the work cycle to generate additional RTT. The proposals allow “2/3 of the agents to even the creation of 7 new days of leave and thus lose only one day”. For the other third parties, “improved arduousness” would allow “a completely neutralized impact of the law, or even a working time, for some agents, less than today”.

DISPUTES FROM STRIKERS:
Theft of leave

• Index point freeze
• Austerity management guidelines
• Removal of CHSCT
• Questioning of the reform commissions, while we are witnessing everywhere the worsening of working conditions, suffering, psycho-social risks
• Killing of the career civil service
• Ex officio secondment of civil servants to private companies in the event of a service concession, outsourcing, privatization!
• Restrictions on the right to strike, which is a democratic freedom
• Towards an end to equal treatment, the uniqueness of the scales and the index point

Demonstration of June 15

June 15, 2021 will be a national day of strike and action for the repeal of the so-called civil service transformation law. In Paris, a gathering will converge from Bercy to the Hôtel de Ville between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

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