The daily life of an "equipped courier" involves using one's own motorcycle for minimum wage plus a mileage allowance based on tax authority rates. In fact, some couriers are still paid by the job-or "by the ticket" (*au bon*). ---- A standard Paris-to-Paris run counts as one ticket; an express run counts as three. The value of a ticket ranges from EUR1.70 to EUR2.20, depending on the company and the volume of deliveries. Not only is this practice prohibited, but it's a rip-off. Everything is included in the ticket price. When you manage to complete-sometimes with great difficulty-1,200 tickets a month, you still have to pay for gear, maintenance, and vehicle parts out of that. On average, I spend EUR500 a month on gas. Whether it's -10°C or 35°C, we ride. A heatwave is far worse than rain: you're dripping with sweat, you stink, and the heat beats down on you. Companies really ought to reimburse the cost of personal protective equipment (gloves, helmets, jackets, boots, and cooling vests or winter jackets). In reality, that doesn't happen. It's the same story for drivers: no heating in winter or A/C in summer-you just drive, because the client is waiting.
At the SME with 32 employees where I've worked for 18 years, there were no set schedules or overtime pay when I started. There were only bonuses based on favoritism-specifically for the worker who was devoted body and soul, finishing very late with a smile... and getting a free whisky from the boss, who suddenly became their best buddy. Things changed when I ran for and won the election for staff representative (organized by the Labor Inspectorate) as a member of the CGT Couriers union. My boss threatened me: "Put on your high-vis vest; accidents happen fast-you could end up under a heavy truck if you aren't clearly visible." Note: My boss is a heavy-truck driver himself.
The atmosphere was oppressive: police reports and formal summons, harassment and threats of all kinds, not to mention the partial application of labor laws. A few examples: A light-vehicle driver on a therapeutic part-time schedule was being paid only 40% of his salary; after a staff representative meeting and a naive intervention by the accountant, the rate was restored to 70%. Meal allowances and mileage reimbursements were being paid at rates that were five or six years out of date-that was corrected. Then, proper schedules were implemented, and overtime was finally paid. We had to go to the labor court and win a decisive victory to break the system of arbitrary bonuses and establish the contractually mandated variable component-an extra 15% of gross pay, negotiated jointly, specifically for the couriers.
The company was ordered to pay back-pay covering the previous five years. Heavy-truck drivers who had faced illegal salary deductions following road accidents recovered up to two years' worth of vehicle maintenance bonuses. We asked for a water cooler? "As for your union rep, I'd give him a dog bowl," said the boss's daughter (the male boss, having been banned from management in the meantime, had to hand the reins over to his wife). A reminder of the law and advice from the company's own lawyers later, and we finally got a water cooler. All courier companies operate the same way, banking on workers' ignorance or lack of familiarity with labor laws and collective agreements. Across Paris and the Île-de-France region, there are barely fifteen of us couriers unionized with the CGT. The other employee representatives always side with management-like the heavy-goods vehicle driver who travels all over the country and won the last Social and Economic Committee (CSE) election. He refuses to take up any issues for fear of being punished with assignments limited to the Île-de-France region (which means saying goodbye to bonuses). But we are keeping up the fight for the autumn: getting retroactive reimbursement for all our motorcycle gear, from head to toe!
Baudouin, courier in Val-d'Oise.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Chronique-Au-Taf-le-syndicalisme-en-tant-que-coursier-moto
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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