(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #231 - Subcontractors SNCF: copy Strike in cleaning (fr)

In May 2013 a 12-day strike broke Charenton (94) in the cleaning company USP subcontractor 
of SNCF responsible for cleaning the TGV South East network. ---- The working and cleaning 
workers were massively mobilized es to fight against the exploitation and degradation of 
working conditions. In fact, while in 2008 there were 250 employee-CDI're working on the 
site 3x8h, there were more than 200 CDI before the strike, the rest of the work is 
outsourced to another company and with a heavy reliance on temporary workers, for the 
greater benefit of the financial management of the USP and the final station. This is an 
illustration of the widespread harm to the SNCF subcontracting with deleterious social 
dumping logic implementation at the expense of the working class.

Widespread poverty.

Moreover, because of the infernal cadences, the majority of workers suffering from 
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) important, therefore health problems directly to poor 
working conditions. In total, chronic understaffing, discriminatory practices, problems 
with premiums, low wages, working conditions deteriorated became unbearable. And as 
threatened a new project management USP impose flexitime, unionized employees SUD-Rail 
organized upstream strike was triggered when leave of May, a period of major departures TGV .

Building a majority strike

He first had to overcome several obstacles: a division of work teams alternating in 
several nationalities orchestrated by management, a strong union division with delegates 
from other unions eating openly in the hands of management and who will participate not to 
strike. In the end, the strike has been overwhelmingly followed by workers with occupation 
site day and night daily general meetings, picketing, collective meals, strike funds with 
raising solidarity actions station Lyon to make it visible and put pressure on the train. 
To break this majority strike, management USP, with the active complicity of the 
management station, has used every means possible: bailiffs continuously attempts to 
replace striking workers by temporary staff and USP and SNCF, provocations and 
intimidation. .. But the determination of the strikers during the 12 intense days, active 
solidarity railworkers site and especially SUD-Rail helped win the strike.

The victories of the strike

The majority of claims were so hard-won: creation of 40 permanent positions with temporary 
priority for existing and hiring criteria excluding the shenanigans of the past allocation 
of a premium quality all-employee es-es recently hired; shelved the project schedule 
flexibility, an investigation of the HSC (Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committee) 
on working conditions, elimination of redundancy measures for strike against strikers 
coincidentally delegates South Rail. Since then, the union team South Rail was reinforced 
by the arrival of some delegates from other unions who participated in the strike, thus 
positioning against their corrupt leaders. And South Rail has since become the majority in 
HSC, with the desire to use all union tools to enforce better working conditions. Other 
victories are not included in the agreement to end the strike is also important for the 
future participation at the forefront of women strikers throughout the strike, solidarity 
between workers in the private sector and railroad- es, workers and workers-are proud to 
have been able to maintain a balance of power and important to win this fight.

Marcos Vega (AL Paris North-East)