For the first time in France, a gathering of unions denouncing "
employer impunity
" in the face of occupational diseases and accidents was organized Thursday in Paris, on the occasion of the international day for health and safety at work.
To discover
YOUR COMMUNE - The results of the second round of the presidential election in your area
Taxes 2022: all about your tax return
Read alsoFalls represent 20% of work accidents, an underestimated risk, according to Health Insurance
Mobilizing on the occasion of this day of April 28, chosen by the ILO in 2003, "
is not a tradition in France
", reminded AFP Louis-Marie Barnier, labor sociologist and trade unionist.
But this year, several professional unions of the CGT or SUD Industries have mobilized before the Ministry of Labor against what they describe as "
carnage
".
“
Accidents are considered part of the job, whereas they often result from work organization choices made by companies
,” adds Louis-Marie Barnier.
"
If an employer knows that there is a 1% risk, he will take it anyway, saying to himself + it is unlikely to happen +
".
The unions are calling in particular for "
more prevention
" within companies because the labor inspectorate "
generally only controls after the accident has taken place
", according to one of the members of SUD Industrie.
They are also calling for harsher legal penalties.
"
We're tired of dying
," said Frédéric Mau, of the CGT building.
Employed in the construction industry for 30 years, he says that the sector has "
one death per day worked and 5,000 accidents with sequelae per year
", which lead to "
terrible social loneliness
" among the victims, insufficiently repaired.
Read alsoA government plan to reduce fatal work accidents
For the unions, the abolition of the Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committees (CHSCT) in 2017 had a "
disastrous
" effect on health and safety at work.
“
These issues cannot be dealt with in collective frameworks that are not dedicated to health and devoid of powers other than advisory
”.
In France, "
more than 1,000 fatal work and commuting accidents
" occur each year, in the private sector alone.
A social security report, published last September, also estimated that half of work accidents were not recognized as such.
“
The mobilization does not stop on April 28
“said Mr. Barnier.
A trade union manifesto will be published in the coming days and will be part of a panel of "
tools to fight against invisibility
".