Healthcare Workers Make Their Voices Heard – A Traffic Jam of Protest
Ah, the sweet sound of protest ringing through the air! And what better place to stage a demonstration than the Bourdonnières roundabout? It’s like the world’s least glamorous game of “musical chairs” where everyone’s meant to joyfully “sit down,” except in this case, they’re just sitting on the road, causing traffic jams that could have you questioning your life choices. Picture it: employees of Esean, a hospital for adolescents managed by APF France Handicap, coming together louder than your aunt at Christmas dinner, all because they’re demanding their due—specifically, the “purchasing power” bonus. They’ve already made their point a few months back; obviously, they really know how to hammer home a message.
Why, you ask? Because their Parisian general management has given them the usual run-around on the “Inflation” bonus for nigh on nine months now. It’s almost like a suspense thriller: will they get their bonus? Will management buy them a coffee instead? No one knows! The kicker? As Pierrick Blandin, the CFDT union delegate, put it so eloquently, it seems “inconceivable that a thoughtful measure, decided and financed by the State, would be blocked by our leadership.” Yes, that’s right, folks—leadership that’s managing to turn a government-backed lifebuoy into a lead weight!
Now, let’s throw in a cheeky little plot twist: healthcare workers aren’t exactly living in palatial estates. They might not be the highest-paid employees in France, but they’re savvy enough to have garnered support from the doctors. That’s right, the gals and guys in white coats are like, “Hey, we’ve got your back!” They’re practically forming a superhero alliance, except their capes are hospital gowns, and instead of saving the world from villains, they’re battling the behemoth of bureaucratic red tape. But I’m sure the doctors are just hoping that “superfluous” on their schedule doesn’t mean treating management for ineptitude.
Now, the APF organization, known for keeping its mouth shut tighter than a clam at a seafood buffet, is practically sweating bullets at the thought of a “snowball effect.” Their 350 nearly identical structures in the medical-social realm are trembling in their boots—perhaps out of fear, perhaps from a lack of snacks. Who knows? Last week, the medical-social employees showed solidarity by demonstrating against a proposed reduction of the workforce at APF management structures. Truly, it’s as if they’re in a Jason Bourne film but with less dodging bullets and more dodging budget cuts.
In conclusion, the fine folks of Esean aren’t looking for a handout; they’re pretty much pleading that someone notices they’re a bit behind the curve regarding their entitlements! So, the next time you’re stuck in traffic, consider that it might just be a bunch of heroes fighting for a little extra elbow room in the budget. Here’s hoping management realizes that treating employees with respect—and, oh, I don’t know, paying them what they’re due—could go a long way in calming the roundabout shenanigans. Or perhaps they’d rather enjoy a few more hours of their admirable “road block” protest—who’s tuning in next time?
They made themselves heard on the large Bourdonnières roundabout between noon and two. They blocked traffic. At least they slowed it down considerably, causing traffic jams for several kilometers. Employees of Esean, a hospital for adolescents, managed by APF France Handicap, have been clamoring for several months for payment of the “purchasing power” bonus to which they are entitled. They had already walked out for the first time in September for the same cause.
Their Parisian general management has refused them the payment of the “Inflation” bonus and the revaluation of the index point for nine months now, “while the APF France handicap association received specific funds paid by the State for these government measures, says Pierrick Blandin, the CFDT union delegate. It seems inconceivable that a thoughtful measure, decided and financed by the State, would be blocked by our leadership.” In their fight, healthcare workers who are not among the highest paid employees in France are supported by doctors.
The APF, which does not communicate on the subject, seems to fear a snowball effect, towards its 350 structures, almost all of which are in the medico-social field and not in the health field, like the Esean.
The APF is currently facing several social upheavals. Thus, last week, it was the medico-social employees, also in solidarity with their colleagues at Esean, who demonstrated in the face of a proposed reduction in the workforce of the APF management structures.
