“I've been a taxi driver for eleven years and today I earn less by working more.
I work 11 to 14 hours a day.
» Parked since 6:30 a.m. with 80 of her colleagues in the Pacha Club parking lot, in Louveciennes (Yvelines), Isabelle is waiting for the start of the snail operation launched by the taxi federations against the Cnam reform.
A demonstration launched while farmers are also planning blockages on the A13, near the Buchelay toll.
Tony, the organizer for this part west of Paris, has planned everything.
In his trunk there are thermoses of coffee for whoever wants them and a sound system to set the mood.
We talk about children, social charges, licenses and the mine, in other words shopping in town.
Some people heat things up a little by honking their horns or throwing firecrackers here and there.
7:30 a.m., Tony gives safety instructions: “No violence, we follow each other at a distance of 1.50 m and we respect the rules.
Everyone gets in their car.
»
Finally, the procession sets off an hour later, to join the A13 and swell the ranks of the fifty taxis that left an hour earlier from the Morainvilliers rest area.
A loss of approximately 20% per race with patients
The reason for their anger: their new agreement with the Cnam on medical transport, which must come into force on February 1.
In particular, it modifies the prices for covering patient transport costs.
“This year, there was no consultation on this convention.
The State has decided to increase our prices by 4 to 5%, but the Cnam in its agreement decided that it could not exceed 0.7 to 1% for it and in addition it has lifted the cap on discounts, explains Nagib Laghroudi, president of the Yvelines taxi union.
Today, a taxi driver discounts 20% of the fare to social security.
And if we don't accept, we're unconventional.
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Also read: A “siege of Paris” from Monday: the battle plan of angry farmers
Enough to worry these road professionals, who do not know in what sauce they will be eaten.
“Basically, they want to make taxis work at a discount and park patients,” summarizes Bekir, a Parisian taxi driver.
With the significant charges “I am always overdrawn”
Isabelle sees yet another drain on her salary.
“Today, when we do a race for 100 euros for the Cnam, we are paid 80 euros.
In a race we lose 20%, that's a lot and if there's no more limit, she says in disgust.
“As a single woman, it’s very hard.
I'm still overdrawn.
We have significant expenses: the loan on the car, on the license, fuel…” she lists.
I don't usually complain, but if we accept this, we will no longer be able to live decently.
The knife is put to our throats, confides the professional, who manages to earn a salary of around 1,500 euros for 50 hours of weekly work.
Aigremont, this Monday morning.
Other of his colleagues barely manage to pay the minimum wage.
And they are gloomy about the future, because medical transport represents 60 to 80% of their turnover.
However, it would also be a question of reorganizing it “The Cnam wants to set up platforms for the transport of patients.
They will no longer be able to choose their taxi and will sometimes be several in the same car, Tony explains, disgusted.
Patients are not cattle.
We build connections.
I have a patient that I have followed for years.
I drove him to the hospital several times a week for his dialysis.
I made sure I was always available for him.
He died last week.
I'm going to go to his funeral.
That’s also what being a taxi is,” continues Tony, who was at the head of the procession on the A3.
Behind these hundred taxis, more than twenty kilometers of traffic jams.