The epilogue of a decade of proceedings?
This Wednesday, March 6, the Administrative Court of Douai (North) rejected the appeal from the Ministry of Labor.
The latter contested the “asbestos” classification of the Saint-Gobain Chantereine factory in Thourotte (Oise), pronounced by the administrative justice system on December 22.
“We are very satisfied for all the employees who have been exposed to asbestos, it’s a battle lasting more than ten years,” explains Sylvain Germanangue, central union representative for CGT Sekurit, one of the two units on the site, which employs around 400 people.
Recognition is always nice.”
“The site will remain classified as asbestos and files for people wishing to retire early will be able to continue to be completed.
It is also a relief for employees who had a file in progress,” comments Franck Obajtek, central delegate for CGT Glass, the other unit on the site (around a hundred employees).
According to the unionist, around fifteen workers exposed to asbestos have already been eligible for early departure on the Glass side.
At Sekurit, around 35 people have been able to leave since April 2023 and around a hundred people should be affected.
A new victory and “a relief”
“All employees who worked between 1962 and 1994 will have the right to request early departure,” specifies Sylvain Germanangue.
With terms linked to exposure time, based on departure at age 60.
For example, an employee recognized as having been exposed to asbestos for three years will be entitled to gain one third less exposure, or one year, for leaving at age 59.
Also read: Saint-Gobain, Bosch, Arcelor... The long struggle of asbestos victims in Oise
To inform employees of the decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal, the CGT distributed leaflets this Thursday morning on the site.
“Justice has once again ruled in favor of the Amiante collective, the CGT, and above all it has condemned Saint-Gobain,” we can read.
For more than 10 years these same managements denied in court the existence of exposure to asbestos among Chantereine employees.”
The union also warns: the fight is certainly well underway, but not quite over.
The Ministry of Labor has two months to contest the decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal.