On Thursday, October 17, the Hérault Center Union closed all of its recycling centers to oppose the verbal and physical violence to which agents are frequently victims. The solidarity day will also be an opportunity to raise awareness among agents about conflict management.
It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Before the summer, an agent from the Hérault center union was the victim of a physical attack, in the exercise of her duties, by a user of one of the recycling centers managed by the SCH. Over the past year, no less than 19 cases of verbal violence, 40 thefts and 17 illegal dumping in front of the sites have been recorded. At the start of the school year, elected officials* and department heads therefore wanted to mark the occasion and, with a day of closure of the recycling centers, on Thursday October 17, show their solidarity with the staff. Agents who will, on this symbolic day, be made aware of conflict management through role-playing workshops.
A question of respect
“Certain users of recycling centers do not respect the agents, they speak badly to them, there are often insults… Fortunately, this is a small minority, but we sometimes have the impression that certain people come to the Syndicat center Hérault , as in other public services, to let off steam A few weeks ago, an agent* was spat on, this is not admissible, it is unbearable, we cannot let this kind of thing go by. behavior”says Olivier Bernardi, president of the SCH (and mayor of Aspiran) who, through this function, represents 77 municipalities.
An elected official who reminds us that “during Covid, the agents showed themselves to be willing, even afterwards. We have a very low rate of absenteeism, we have motivated agents but here, on this subject, there is a level of frustration and we are united staff. The agents are there to do the job, not to annoy users, everyone must understand that.
An organization for the common good
“Some people arrive at the recycling center and are angry,” still deplores the president of the SCH. A tension often palpable in society but unrelated to the organization put in place by the SCH. “Yes, we are putting new things in place: a new collection scheme, badges at the recycling center… But users have understood that it is for the good of all. I think that some are just overwhelmed by their daily problems “ and have difficulty accepting the reminder of sorting instructions by sector.
Instructions that are nevertheless essential to environmental protection and cost control.
