In Saint-Denis, a majority of the 71 canteens have been closed since Tuesday. Agents from the children's and school life service have started a strike to denounce their working conditions, which have been “untenable since the start of the school year”. This Thursday, only five canteens operated normally, lunches were provided by a picnic provided by parents in 20 canteens and the other 46 remained closed, according to the Saint-Denis town hall. The movement should be renewed this Friday as well as next Monday.
Among the strikers, we find guards, canteen workers, facilitators and specialized territorial agents of nursery schools (Atsem). “We were received by the town hall administration last Friday,” explains Djamila Bassi, secretary of the FO union in Saint-Denis. We have not had a response from them concerning the improvement of our conditions, so we are going on strike. »
The agents are demanding recruitment in particular. “We are short on average of five facilitators per school,” adds Djamila Bassi. The animators work urgently. » She maintains that the strikers have the support of parents: “They understood that we were no longer able to take care of their children safely. »
The town hall assures that “the safety of children is the first priority, despite real recruitment difficulties since the start of the school year in September 2024”. She also affirms that “leisure centers have never operated at one facilitator for 50 children, contrary to what is put forward in the current social movement”.
As for the canteen, since the introduction of free meals for kindergarten and then CP students, the number of mouths to feed has increased… but not the staff, according to the FO union. “Children have to eat in ten minutes,” laments Djamila Bassi. They barely have time to finish their entries. » The City website indicates the figure of 9,500 meals per day. The canteens would have actually served 1,000 fewer in 2023, according to the municipality.
“It’s incomprehensible in substance and it distances people from public service in terms of form,” says the town hall regarding the current movement. They come to work and announce that they are going on strike shortly before lunch. It is a union expression which prepares for next year's elections. » Which FO denies.
The opposition believes that the movement is a sign of “fed up”. “The City must meet with agents to improve their working conditions and give them guarantees before the merger with Pierrefitte on January 1st,” urges Sofia Boutrih (PCF). It is a sacrifice for the agents to go on strike, with all the links they have with parents and children. »
