The furniture brand Conforama announced the closure on Friday February 12 of its logistics site in Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche in Isère after the discovery of 15 cases of Covid-19 among its some 200 employees, while the unions have been asking for this measure for several days.
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"
In view of two new cases, it was decided to proceed with the closure of the site,
" the company said in a statement.
"
During the closure of the site, Conforama will carry out a disinfection operation
".
The site will therefore remain closed until February 22, according to a letter from the management, consulted by AFP, which also indicates that it is the labor inspectorate, and not Conforama, which immediately demanded the closure.
"
Today we are working normally, we will close tonight,
" regrets, however, Salim Radjah, FO union representative, who assures us that the staff representatives, faced with the significant increase in cases, requested the closure on Tuesday.
“
It's a shame, this late decision.
We are disappointed to have to go to a standoff on such issues, that the financial takes precedence over the human being,
”he added.
This 66,000 m2 site located about twenty kilometers from Lyon currently lists "
28 absent
" according to management.
“
People are afraid and some have taken sick leave,
” says Radjah.
According to the trade unionist, three cases were recorded on Monday and since then it has been increasing: 7 Tuesday, 11 Wednesday, 12 Thursday at the beginning of the afternoon then 15 in the evening.
“
We have been able to infect a lot of people since and still today.
Especially since we have a hundred drivers who come every day to deliver in France and in Europe,
”continued the elected FO.
"
Yesterday evening, nothing justified the closure of the site that the competent authorities (ARS, inspection and occupational medicine), had not requested
", assured management.
“
From the first confirmed cases at the start of the week, Conforama immediately took the necessary measures (identification of contact cases, information to employees, reminder of barrier actions and reinforcement of health instructions) and contacted the ARS (regional health agency) as well. than inspection and occupational medicine
, ”she added, recalling that out of the forty tests that took place, more than half were negative.
Before announcing the closure, Conforama also planned to organize a voluntary screening operation on the Isère site on Monday.
