Long lines outside Post Offices, impatient customers ... Images have been circulating regularly since the start of the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.
This Monday, tensions could be even more intense, the day when social benefits (RSA, family allowances, APL, etc.) can be withdrawn at the counters. They will be transferred this weekend to the beneficiaries' bank accounts.
"We expect, in fact, to receive a lot of people, as is the case at the beginning of each month," we are told at La Poste. But this is the first time that payment has been made since the start of the crisis. In Seine-Saint-Denis, 39 offices should be opened in the department, against 93 usually *.
"People like to withdraw cash, have cash on them, pay cash"
A “provisional” figure, specifies La Poste, which underlines that it is “impossible to foresee possible stoppages of work for illness or for babysitters. "
In recent days, the number of open offices had fallen to 35 in the department.
And the difficulty of finding an open office is even more penalizing for the inhabitants of Seine-Saint-Denis than elsewhere. In our columns, Hervé Morand, in charge of territorial relations for La Poste in 93, recalled a few months ago that "the use of cash remains high" in the department. “People like to withdraw cash, have cash on them, pay cash on average more than elsewhere. "
"A health risk"
In recent days, many elected officials of the department have alerted the management of La Poste about the low number of offices still open. For the mayor (PCF) of Saint-Denis, Laurent Russier, the argument is above all sanitary: "The idea is not to put La Poste employees in difficulty and we are well aware of the current difficulty, but having too few open offices generates too much flow at the main office, ”he says.
In recent days, he has been brought in queues of "more than 1:30" at the main office of the city, the only one open. As he had done by asking for the reopening of the food market to avoid the rush at the Carrefour, the mayor insists that it is "important to have a distribution of flows. "
Four offices will exceptionally reopen in Saint-Denis
Thursday, the president (PS) of the departmental council, Stéphane Troussel, also said to be "in contact" with the management of La Poste, in particular in anticipation of the payment of social benefits, for the reopening of Posts.
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On Friday, La Poste therefore announced that it had made an effort in the department with four offices which will reopen on Monday. Two of which are in Saint-Denis: République and Pleyel.
By government decision, the transfer of social minima was also advanced by 48 hours, which allowed those who can withdraw their money from distributors this weekend. But in Seine-Saint-Denis as elsewhere, many beneficiaries do not have a credit card.
“Frontline” postal workers
And the arrangements have not given satisfaction to certain unions. "Why not have gradually anticipated from March 30 to April 3 to smooth payments? »Wonders, for example, Sud-PTT, who underlines a« the high risk of slippage, because the tails will lengthen and the tensions will be sharp. And this will have consequences on the most fragile and, in turn, on postal workers, who are on the front line. "
To avoid possible overflows on Monday, La Poste called the police to ensure the security of certain offices. Since the start of the crisis, "there have also been reinforcements of security guards on all offices," continues the company. Protective screens between the postmen and the customers are also affixed, with slots allowing to pass papers or money without contact.
Ground markings are also in place to enforce the minimum distance of 1 m between each customer, while masks and hydroalcoholic gel are available to all postal workers.
* The list of open offices is accessible via the following address: https://www.laposte.fr/particulier/outils/trouver-un-bureau-de-poste