The clerks organized protests outside the courts on Monday, against a new salary scale and to demand more human resources. In Paris, nearly 200 people gathered during their lunch break.
“The calculations are not good”, “stop contempt” Or “injustice in justice”: placards were improvised by the black-robed clerks who met calmly, briefly during the lunch break. They were between 150 and 200 demonstrators, Monday, June 26, in front of the judicial court of Batignoles in Paris. Other gatherings were organized at the same time in front of many courts throughout France, for better recognition of the profession.
“I’m fed up, I’m leaving”, wrote Pauline on her sign. Clerk for only three years, she is already exhausted and has just passed another civil service competition for a position at the Ministry of the Economy where she will be better paid and will not work as much overtime. “I was passionate about my work but the conditions are not possible, explains Pauline, who is preparing to leave the court this summer. We have piles of files that we know we won’t settle, victims on the phone every day who ask us when we’re going to see the end of the file, we can’t even answer them! We don’t have enough resources and time.”
The number of departures up 400% in five years
Pauline asks for an increase in wages in this branch. “The salary is pathetic: a clerk who leaves school is at 1,800 euros when he has done four years of study and 18 months of training”. An often misunderstood profession, there are just over 10,000 court clerks in France. Demonstrators are protesting against a proposed new pay scale. They say they are the great forgotten of justice and demand means and more recognition.
In five years, the number of departures of clerks like Pauline for other administrations has increased by 400%. Some are also recruited by law firms which go so far as to double their salaries. If the competition, in theory, is open from bac + 2, in fact those who pass it have rather bac + 4, and have been for years.
“If we increase the magistrates, we must increase the clerks”
Evelyne took the exam more than 20 years ago when she held a DEA. She earns 2,300 euros monthly. According to her, the new index grid will not make it possible to pass from the public service category B to category A. “I’m really excitedœure of the way we are treated by our ministry, with a certain condescension, sorry Evelyn. We try to do everything for justice to advance. It is a real calling. We have always been understaffed, and there I admit that it is still inadmissible.”
“I’m going to drop two steps and I’m going to earn a very generous 12 euros more per month…”
Evelyne, clerk for more than 20 yearsat franceinfo
Magistrates should see their monthly salaries increased by an average of 1,000 euros in October. They therefore came on Monday to support their colleagues on the forecourt. “I, a magistrate, am useless if I don’t have a clerk, recognizes Mathieu Bonduelle, examining magistrate in Paris. If they are not there to authenticate a certain number of things, to take the notes of hearings, to notify the decisions, in fact justice does not work. We obviously need clerks and if we increase the magistrates, we must increase the clerks. It’s not just a question of a raise, in general it is necessary to recognize their skills and their need.”
Some representatives of the clerks are received Monday evening at the chancellery. They promise new actions in the coming days. The mobilizations started the previous week, spontaneously, accompanied by an online petition.
Clerks mobilize before the Batignoles judicial court in Paris – Report by Mathilde Lemaire
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