This is unheard of. The queue stretches for a hundred meters in a place with little traffic at Roissy airport, opposite the long-term car park. For most of the platform's employees, this is a must. Nestled between the police and customs, the "BLS" issues badges that allow you to work in the secure area, after the green light from the authorities.
The airport has more than 90,000 direct jobs, of which nearly 77,000 are accessible with this badge. And usually, it is the obtaining of this small plastic card which can possibly pose difficulty and delay taking service.
But since the health crisis, badges have been issued only two mornings a week. And everything was reversed. Even in possession of the precious sesame, no one has the assurance of finding a job.
"I don't know when we're going to be able to resume"
Kaori, who lives in Seine-Saint-Denis, has been a salesperson in a Duty free store in Roissy for 16 years. "This queue is worse than Disney Land!" "Smiles, behind her mask, this elegant Asian with impeccable French. "We closed on March 14 and since then I haven't worked again," explains the mother, who is waiting in line in line with a colleague. "I don't know when we're going to be able to resume," worries this forty-something man.
The 20% less income for two months is felt once the rent is paid. In the meantime, she is accompanying her daughter for "home school". "Fortunately, I studied, I can help her" explains Kaori who knows that this badge with which she will leave in a few hours will not be useful for very long. Her residence permit expires in three months and she has not yet managed to obtain an appointment in the sub-prefecture to renew it.
"We save on food"
When he finds his colleague Amine in the queue, King is almost tempted to shake his hand. But an elbow check is more appropriate. King, in his fifties, came from Cergy (Val-d'Oise) masked and with the porter's outfit. "If it continues, it's a disaster," fears the one who worked "6 days in April and 8 days in May".
His job is to take care of the passengers' luggage. So inevitably, when there are no more passengers, there is no more work. 10,000 daily travelers is twenty times less than before.
"With partial unemployment, I get around 1600 euros at the end of the month instead of 1900" calculates this father. 300 euros less, when it is the only salary that supports the family with three children of 12, 16, 18 years, and a rent of 800 euros, necessarily it is not painless.
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"It's difficult," admits King modestly, "there are savings everywhere, on food too, but I don't have peace of mind," he explains. This summer, the family will not go on vacation and the head of the family is even thinking of a taxi conversion.
Aminata, 22, hopes for a temporary assignment
She comes to get a badge without knowing if it will be useful to her. "I was supposed to start an interim mission in March, but I don't know if it will happen," explains this 22-year-old young woman, who lives in La Courneuve (Seine-Saint-Denis). "I'm still at my mother's, it's okay, but I'm saving for later, to get my license," explains this young woman, who was betting a lot on this job, paid at minimum wage.
She was considering training as a medical secretary which was postponed and she counted on this mission "to work full time while waiting". She had to start the laundromat. On his mobile phone, the temporary employment agency sent him the same message several times " Hello, badge to pick up at the BLS ". "I came, but I don't know if I will finally have a job," blows the young woman, who two weeks later still hasn't heard from the employer.
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