Employees of Scop NEA in La Ravoire, near Chambéry, will not return to work this Tuesday morning. A thirty employees are on strike since Monday morning, at the call of the FO union. They are asking for a salary increase of 200 euros, but above all for better working conditions, with in particular the compliance with their medical restrictions.
The company, based in La Ravoire, offers services in the sectors of printing, cleaning, industry and construction. It is an adapted company, which employs 200 disabled workers in France, including 60 at the La Ravoire workshop.
They are the ones who should adapt to our handicap and not the other way around
According to the employees, the company respects only randomly the specificities of each disability. Yazid is a car preparer. Since his triple ankle fracture seven years ago, he has had disabled worker status. “The occupational doctor ordered me to take a half-hour break after each hour of work.” But in reality, “I don’t stop, I work all day, I do up to 15 cars a day. At the end of the day, my leg swells and trembles. I take pills when I get home. We can’t take it anymore“, he says.
His colleague Mohamed underwent major back surgery a few months ago, which made his disability worse. “They told me that they couldn’t put me in another position adapted to your handicap, but that they were going to lighten my constraints, no more carrying heavy loads… They respected it for a month, but then it was over.”
I sacrificed my health for this company.
Employees are also asking for 50% mutual cover, an attendance bonus and to have a manager who can be contacted from the first hour of work. But their letters to management have gone unanswered for two years, according to the Force Ouvrière union.
Management received a delegation of four people on Monday. She promises to discuss these claims during the meeting with the CSE this Tuesday. In the meantime, the strike movement continues.