The annual negotiations have failed.
Between the management of Cars Perrier RATP Dev, a subsidiary of SQY Bus which provides transport in the agglomeration of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, and the Unsa and CGT unions, nothing is going well.
A strike begins this Monday, March 29 and can be renewed punctually until the end of the year 2021 to ensure "the effect of surprise".
At the heart of the demands: salary increases.
“We are working more than before, we have added more races, we do more hours, we sometimes do not have a break because of traffic jams that make us late, explains the Unsa union representative, Senouci Mebrouka.
Each year we get more and we only get a 0.5% increase based on inflation.
"
In particular, an agreement between the unions and management in 2012, when Cars Perrier was in deficit.
The bus drivers have agreed to make concessions, in particular by removing certain bonuses for new hires.
But since then, the situation has not changed while the accounts have returned to green.
About fifty drivers positive for Covid-19
In addition, there are difficult working conditions in times of crisis.
"We work in confined spaces in permanent contact with the Covid," said Abdeldjebbar Djiar, CGT union representative.
About fifty colleagues out of 200 have already been contaminated. ”Senouci Mebrouka also mentions the verbal and physical attacks to which drivers can be subjected.
“Sometimes people start screaming when you ask them to wear the mask, most of the time you crash for fear it will go too far.
"
"Dialogue is impossible with the manager, he leaves the table, gets angry ..."
For all these reasons, they demand an increase in the hourly rate (1.5% requested by Unsa at the initiative of the movement and 2.5% by the CGT), as well as a Covid premium (320 € for Unsa, 1000 € for the CGT), which they also did not touch in 2020. They claim "to ask a lot to get a little bit".
It remains to be heard.
"Dialogue is impossible with the director, he leaves the table, gets angry, makes monologues ... It is not respectful for the employees," continues Senouci Mebrouka.
Strike is the only way to win the case.
"
"I granted an increase of 0.5%, it is totally impossible to do more", assures the CEO of Cars Perrier and SQY Bus
For his part, Juan Lopez, general manager of Cars Perrier and SQY Bus, does not have the same speech.
There has never been a communication problem, according to him, although common ground was not found this time around.
"The discussion is never closed but the demands of the unions are not realistic," he says.
I granted a 0.5% increase it is totally impossible to do more.
"
The director puts forward economic arguments, estimating that the turnover for 2020 is three times lower than in previous years.
However, the year remains positive, thanks in particular to partial unemployment financed by the State and to the maintenance of activities annexed to the usual service of the bus lines.
“We will donate part of the profits to employees,” promises Juan Lopez.
They are going to have around 1000 € of bonus but I do not have the calendar yet ... "
While waiting for the strike will significantly impact the 37,000 daily users because of the forty lines of the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines network, only three will not be disrupted on Monday.
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