This Tuesday, December 10, there were around fifty people demonstrating in front of the CPAM headquarters in Nantes. Another gathering also took place in Saint-Nazaire. Since the arrival of “ARPEGE”, a new software responsible for compensating work stoppages, bugs were found since the start of the testing phase at the beginning of October. Thousands of people no longer receive, or only part of, their daily allowances. At the call of the CGT and the CFDT of the CPAM of Loire-Atlantique, these two mobilizations denounce a situation “who does not advance”. The last strike call dates back to mid-November.
“I already had a policyholder who threatened to commit suicide”
Since the arrival of the new IT tool, agents “on the front line”namely those who are at reception, tell “a very tense working climate”. The latter is mainly due to discussions with policyholders no longer receiving their compensation, which have become increasingly difficult: “The physical reception towards policyholders, in financial and social distressit impacts us. We have speeches that are very difficult to hear”testifies an employee, wishing to remain anonymous. Another completes: “I already had someone who threatened to commit suicide. We have some who say they can't eatnor pay their rent because of us. And it's difficult, because we are asked for things that we don't get.”. Many suffer morally. Other agents say they are distraught : “We would like to help them, we are in solidarity with them, we know what it is. We are really doing our best to be able to respond, but it is very complicated.”
“They risk having to repay the deposits later and having overdrafts”
Thousands of people no longer receive their compensation under the CGT, others only receive “deposits”. But, according to employees, this system supposed to overcome the bugs doesn't work either : “Some receive too much, and we have no control over that, because everything is controlled by this software. They risk having to repay the rest later and having overdrafts, when the situation is already very complicated financially for them.” For many, the solution would be a step backwards. The CGT, like the CFDT, wish the abandonment of this new software by management.
Despite a dialogue in place with the departmental management of the CPAM, “it’s at the national headquarters that things are blocked”, regrets a demonstrator, before adding, “we are told all the time that things will change in a week, then the week after that, then the week after that… Except that now, we will arrive in mid-December, and we no longer see the end of it “. The CGT has announced that it will go to Paris on December 17, during an annual meeting, to once again denounce the problem.
