Why unions fear a “social plan” and call for a strike

After two strikes on August 14 and 29, the youth justice system (PJJ) is preparing a new day of mobilization on Thursday, September 19. The continuation of a conflict that broke out in the middle of summer with the announcement, on July 31, to the unions of budgetary savings. “Since the beginning of the year, the PJJ has seen an acceleration in its recruitment”justifies the Ministry of Justice, and a reassessment of “the remuneration of contract workers” on those of permanent agents. The payroll has therefore gone out of line and management has decided not to renew contract workers, who represent 20% of the PJJ workforce.

On the side of the CGT-CFDT-Unsa-SNPES inter-union, it’s a cold shower. “A real social plan worthy of the private sector”she argues in a press release published the same day. “Several unions had sounded the alarm about the consequences of budget cuts as early as February”she continues, referring to cuts of €700,000 decided by decree at the beginning of the year.

“Total disrespect for young people”

On August 6, the office of the Minister of Justice met with the unions, excluding FO. He announced a 3 million euro unfreeze, allocated to certain contracts. Insufficient to compensate for the contract workers who were not renewed, judges the inter-union. “Bercy has imposed budgetary constraints. But finally, it is only at the management of the PJJ that we have seen things happen in such a brutal way, not slipped over the year”storms Eric Achard, general secretary of the Interco CFDT justice.

“Calamitous management”

Money is at the heart of this case. For the inter-union – the ministry denies it – the PJJ is making cuts to compensate for the payment of a JO bonus, conditional on increased activity, and the payment of a loyalty bonus for Seine-Saint-Denis agents. “There has been no increase in activity and the loyalty bonus has existed for several yearsbelieves Eric Achard. All this was known.” “There has been disastrous management of the payroll for years”adds Béatrice Briout, her counterpart at Unsa. “A draft amending finance bill allowed a first cut which restricted the operation of the PJJ, a second attacked human resources, says the senator from Maine-et-Loire, Grégory Blanc (Ecologist, Solidarity and Territories group). We are focusing on cuts to sovereign issues, here, the management of the penal response for juvenile delinquents and criminals. “The form was disrespectful and the substance is always the same, when there are budgetary restrictions, it is always the contract workers who are hit”denounces Martine Raniveau, member of the national union of psychologists, who made a career in the PJJ.

Furthermore, the number of contract workers not renewed appears high for a budgetary “slippage” estimated at between 1.6 and 1.8 million euros, the PJJ payroll being around 456 million euros.

How many are there? The inter-union side puts the figure at 500. “We have feedback from each union. In the inter-regions of Île-de-France and the North, there are between 80 and 100 positions, says Eric Achard. In the other seven interregions, it fluctuates between 30 and 50.” The Chancellery judges that “less than half of this estimate was potentially affected”.  Since then, the management of the PJJ has announced that “several dozen” contract workers had been recalled and others will be “from October 15th”time to get back into the budget. But for the inter-union, the damage is done. “People who have not been renewed may not want to return to the PJJ”predicts Béatrice Briout.

The open environment impacted

On the ground, discontent is being felt. “We lost about 25% of our staff locally. Youth follow-ups were transferred while we manage an average of 25 young people per person, laments an educator who joined the PJJ more than ten years ago. It’s a lot of work to build a bond with them. Other follow-ups are put on hold. This is a total disrespect for young people, while they are in difficulty. ” “To manage this crisis, as there are deficits everywhere, we are sending agents on assignment, asking them to go and do services on other units. There are also many vacant positions, sick leave for example, which are not filled, develops Béatrice Briout. Services that will be greatly impacted, particularly in open environments.” In juvenile correctional facilities, “This means fewer activities for young people in detention and less monitoring of their cell exits.”she continues. “For investigative measures (a collection of elements about a young person)the psychologist is mandatory, it is part of their missions. If this position was occupied by a contract worker and it is not renewed, there is no longer a psychologist at all”adds Martine Ravineau.

On the other hand, the ministry defends itself: “Particular attention is paid to the continuity of public service and the quality of care provided to young people”This third mobilization in a month maintains doubt.