Having to accept, in a constrained and forced manner, a 10% drop in salary practically overnight, and for some learning it a few days before Christmas: this is what around ten Student Supporters in a situation of disability (AESH) of Landes have experienced.
“I was told in December that my permanent contract, which was 70% working time, would drop to 60% on 1is February,” testifies one of them (1). “Under the pretext that I would not currently do the 27 hours and 25 minutes of support in the presence of the children that the contract provides for, since school time in primary school is 24 hours. »
“If we ever had the sacred fire,” adds this other AESH, “there, it is more than extinguished. We were already not or little considered, we have low salaries, it's no longer anger that I feel as time passes, it's disgust. And also a feeling of injustice. »
“More money”
To understand their dismay, we must delve into the specificities of this job as a contractual agent, the cornerstone of the inclusive school, which consists of supporting the education of students with special educational needs, children in situations of disability, or serious academic difficulty.
“It’s the second profession in National Education,” explains Marc Guyon, retired Fnec FP-FO 40 referent professor for the academy’s AESH. “Their missions are long-lasting and essential to the functioning of educational establishments, which is why they need civil service status. In this case, we would not have the problem we are facing. »
This problem is that since this fall, the Departmental Services Department of National Education of Landes (DSDEN 40) has been harmonizing contracts to bring them into compliance with the latest management framework established in June 2019. This problem is that This distinguishes a number of actual hours in the presence of the child, and hours of related activities (preparation, meeting, training).
With this reading grid, 70% of the work quota before 2019 is equivalent to 27 hours 25 minutes of weekly hours with the student: it is these 3 hours 25 minutes of difference with the class time in first grade that the administration wants to save today. To “ensure fair treatment between all our staff”, argues the DSDEN 40. “Few people are concerned, less than 1% of the workforce”.
“They no longer have money to supplement contracts and they need hours, because since a decree published at the end of June, it is the DSDEN who have the competence to take care of accompanying people during the lunch break. Previously it was up to the municipalities,” recontextualizes Cathy Vigneau-Laffargue, departmental secretary of SNUipp-FSU.
“Morally…”
Clearly, the DSDEN now wants to pay accompanying adults only for the time spent in class, in the presence of the child. “Before, I arrived at 8:10 a.m. at the same time as the child,” relates an AESH in her sixties with nearly twenty years of experience. Now I arrive at 8:30 a.m., so as not to work for butter. I was told “there are staff at the school”. “You’re saving money on the backs of little people,” I told them. »
“There are things that I cannot shorten,” adds a colleague. I am not going to have a lack of involvement, that would be a disservice to the children. But I will no longer stay between noon and 2 p.m. talking about the children with the teachers, to prepare for the work to come. In my practice, this is what will change,” she describes, disgusted to find herself having to justify that she was never paid to do anything.
“Regulationally, the administration is within its rights,” lament Marc Guyon and Cathy Vigneau-Laffargue. “But morally…” Words fail them. The unions, aware of the situation, made the request to integrate these 3:25 hours into the related hours. Refusal. Both confirm that this “compliance” in recent months would be specific to the Landes. There would be little or no feedback in other departments of the academy, or elsewhere in France.
“An interview was systematically offered in order to explain the reasons for the approach and the possible support”, recalls the DSDEN 40. The choice offered to the people concerned was this: either they accept a 60% contract. by amendment; or they refuse and are dismissed for refusing to substantially modify an element of the employment contract. To compensate for the loss of salary, they were required to work on other student support needs at lunch break or on Wednesday mornings, in their establishment if needs exist; or in another school or college in their sector (2).
“This is within the framework of a fixed-term contract that is called into question and must be renewed each time the school year begins. It’s adding precariousness to precariousness! », exclaims Marc Guyon. “In several situations, the loss of hours could be compensated, in whole or in part,” specifies the academic inspection. Only one of the AESH that “Sud Ouest” met engaged in this process. The others are taken by surprise or are already working multiple jobs to supplement their low AESH income.
“Low-cost school? »
Another element that goes badly: the new 60% contract corresponds to 23:30 hours of support, therefore not enough for the 24 hours of class, for which 62% contracts would be required. “As is done in the vast majority of academies,” notes Mr. Guyon. Why don't they do it? “Situations are looked at on a case-by-case basis, with the aim of being able to cover all support requests as a priority,” indicates the academic inspection services on this subject.
In the interview, the AESH were advised to make arrangements not to work more, either by leaving half an hour before the end of class on Friday, or by taking a Friday afternoon off every four weeks. Enough to add bitterness among those concerned, because for them the saving measure is directly to the detriment of the support they provide.
“I was told 'when it's time, it's time, you go'. No, it doesn't happen like that, or are we in a low-cost inclusive school? », this AESH is moved. “We work with people, and we are human too,” says this other woman. We need to be motivated to go to work, because we don't necessarily have easy days, to be focused on what we are doing and not to be disturbed by administrative things that ruin our lives. »
If everyone is wondering more than ever about their future, one has already decided: “It has made me decide to retire next year. I wanted to do one more year but no, that's making fun of us. They want the inclusion of students with disabilities, but they do not provide the means. »
Not to mention the worry that spreads from one AESH to another, for those who have contracts of more than 60% and who fear seeing it called into question overnight. “No, each situation must be looked at individually depending on the students supported, the structures in which the AESH operates, and the needs of the Pial. If other situations were to be identified, the support offered would be identical,” responds DSDEN 40 on this subject. Not enough to reassure the ranks.
(1) We chose to preserve the anonymity of the four companions of students with disabilities on permanent contracts who testified, so as not to put them in difficulty in relation to their employer.
(2) AESH are distributed by inclusive localized support center, or Pial.
Who are the AESH in Landes?
The department has around a thousand AESH, 98% of them women, 90% of them employed in the public sector and 70% on permanent contracts, a contract which is acquired after three years spent on a fixed-term contract.
We speak of collective AESH when they work within the framework of the Ulis system (Localized Units for Educational Inclusion) to take care of children in groups, with a teacher, during specific educational times; of AESH individualized with a student, or shared to support several in a class. Shared, the accompanying people are increasingly so to deal with the numerous notifications from the Landes House for Disabled People, while the number of AESH is not keeping up.
For what ? Because despite the needs and challenges for young people and families, the profession is not valued and lacks attractiveness, given the tense working conditions and the salary conditions: barely above the minimum wage if the agents worked at 100%, but this is rarely the case. As an indication, paid for 24 hours, i.e. primary school class time, therefore a work rate of 62%, they receive 1,132 euros gross on 1is step.
Related News :