On strike for more than a month, the Rhône firefighters are preparing to take new action. They will stand still for several days in front of the Hôtel de la Métropole in Lyon.
After having walled up the entrance to the General Staff and tagged their vehicles and barracks, the firefighters of Lyon and Rhône are continuing their strike and are preparing to make their mark once again. From Sunday evening, they will install “a village, a wild encampment” at the intersection of the busy Garibaldi and Paul-Bert streets, in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon. A strategic location since the Hôtel de la Métropole is located there.
Day and night mobilization
“We will be on the sidewalks in numbers. We will stay on site days and nights, in our blue, white and red camps until the situation resolves”says Rémy Chabbouh, representative of the SUD firefighters union 69. Concretely, he hopes to advance the budgetary orientation debate which should have taken place at this time in the Metropolis but which was postponed to March. “Everything is delayed by three to four months but our urgency is now,” he insists.
The trade unionist calls on residents to join the mobilization, but also on elected officials. Some from all political sides would have promised the firefighters that they would come to the camp but Rémy Chabbouh fears that this will not bear fruit. “Everyone agrees to agree, but nothing is moving. If it's just showing off, it's useless, we want real recognition with substantial salaries and recruitment”he repeats.
“157 firefighters are missing in the Rhône”
In great demand during the Paris Olympic Games, the Rhône firefighters are feeling the blow and regret that the leave canceled for the occasion was not paid more consistently. Furthermore, they are demanding more recruitment then “that there is a shortage of 157 professional firefighters in the Rhône according to a report from the Regional Chamber of Auditors”recalls Rémy Chabbouh.
These lack of resources and personnel are not without consequences on the missions carried out by the firefighters. For three years, “response times took an additional 2 minutes 45 minutes (in addition to the 10 minutes average) in the Lyon metropolitan area, this is 30% more than nationally”. Time which can nevertheless be precious during a serious accident. It is for this reason that the Sud union filed a complaint for “endangering others”whether from the population or the firefighters. A second complaint for “obstruction of the distribution of relief in the Rhône” was also filed.
The Festival of Lights affected by a demonstration?
Rémy Chabbouh and other members of the inter-union will meet the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, in Beauvau, Monday November 18. An open letter to ask the State “to take his share” will be given to him on this occasion.
If their demands are not heard, the union reserves the possibility of organizing a mobilization during the Festival of Lights. Other corporations could join the movement.
Also read: Firefighters’ strike: a letter was sent to Michel Barnier
Strike by firefighters in the Lyon Metropolis: “The system is running out of steam” according to Bruno Bernard
Related News :