Independents and auto-entrepreneurs gathered on Wednesday in Bercy to demand aid in the face of the fifth wave of Covid-19 which penalizes their activity, noted AFP.
The movement brought together a few dozen people from the tourism or event sectors near the Ministry of the Economy and was joined by several VTC and taxi drivers.
Read alsoThe bill on the self-employed, the last major economic project of the five-year term
“
I lost 50% of my turnover, I have three children and nothing to pay me a salary. How am I going to get out of this?
“, testifies worried Karim, a taxi driver. Same questioning for Audrey, a makeup artist for children whose orders for services are almost all canceled: “
How will I be able to pay my bills?
Situations that have become commonplace for several weeks, according to the organizers of the rally.
“
Since the beginning of December, the fifth wave has worsened a situation that was already not good
,” explains Hind Elidrissi, spokesperson for the “
neo-union
” Independants.co.
Today "
there is an urgent need to release funds to allow people to feed themselves and pay their rents
", according to her.
Because the aid put in place since September and the end of "
whatever it costs
" are "
devices which only concern companies with employees or with professional premises
", points out the manager of this organization which brings together self -employed people.
entrepreneurs and self-employed persons under other statutes.
“The self-employed are excluded from all state aid”
Representatives of the movement were to be received at the Ministry of the Economy in the afternoon, according to Hind Elidrissi.
Companies with employees and belonging to the sectors most affected by the crisis can see their fixed costs covered if their loss of turnover exceeds 50%.
And when it exceeds 65%, companies can also benefit from short-time working with a zero charge.
Read also40% of self-employed people declare income below the minimum wage
But “
even in sectors that benefit from aid, the self-employed are excluded from all state aid
,” argues Hind Elidrissi.
Thus the nightclubs which are closed “
are entitled to assistance but the DJ who is independent has zero
”, she cites as an example.
Less than three months before the presidential election "
Emmanuel Macron is in the process of cutting himself off from a base which was rather acquired for him
", estimated for his part the president of the Federation of auto-entrepreneurs, Grégoire Leclercq, who says having been received at the Élysée by advisers to the president on Wednesday morning.
“
There is a misunderstanding on the ground and a discontent which is really very strong
”, according to him.
"
We held the hand of these self-employed workers for almost 24 months and we completely let them go in the middle of the fifth wave
, ”regrets Grégoire Leclercq.