Why are La Poste agents called to strike in Puy-de-Dôme

A call for a strike by La Poste agents in Thiers, Cournon-d'Auvergne and Lempdes, in Puy-de-Dôme, has been launched for Thursday January 23. The CGT denounces “a degraded or even eliminated service for users and unbearable working conditions for employees”.

Thursday January 23, in the areas of Thiers, Cournon-d'Auvergne and Lempdes, in Puy-de-Dôme, La Poste customers could find their doors closed. Indeed, the CGT FAPT is calling for a strike. This date was not chosen at random. In fact, it coincides with the holding of training for post office staff in these sectors, all afternoon, which requires closing for half a day. The CGT has filed a strike notice to denounce “a degraded or even eliminated service for users and unbearable working conditions for employees”.

David Michaux, departmental secretary CGT FAPT 63, explains: “Our anger is linked to the lack of jobs in post offices. The opening hours are not suitable. We also deplore the closure of offices due to the failure to replace absent colleagues.”. He continues: “The user cannot necessarily go to their usual post office, for example, if their working hours do not match. Unannounced closures generate incivility”. The union representative evokes the state of mind of his colleagues: “The postal workers are quite disillusioned. We don't see any career development prospects. There are more and more skills to acquire and not necessarily recognition, neither by rank nor by salary. At La Poste, the NAO (mandatory annual negotiations, Editor’s note) are at a discount”. He insists: “For us, all these changes threaten the service. There are more and more operations that can only be done via the Internet. Not everyone is equipped or has the capacity to do this”.

The CGT FAPT 63 union demands recruitment at post offices, to ensure replacement of absences. He asks management to review opening hours. He expects better working conditions for employees. He wants employees to be able to have fixed and chosen days of rest. By his own admission, David Michaux does not expect a massive strike this Thursday: “We don't necessarily expect a big mobilization but quite a few tellers will be on strike. The idea is to raise awareness and distribute leaflets”. A gathering is planned in Thiers, in front of the Atrium, at 2 p.m.

For its part, in a press release, the management of La Poste indicates: “Customers were informed of this closure by posting at the post office, indicating the nearest contact points (La Poste Agence Communale or La Poste Relais Commerisant) for essential operations. These post offices will be open in the morning at usual times. The post offices of Aydat, Chabreloche, Cournon Gardet, Dallet, Les Martres d'Artière, Mezel, Orcet, Plauzat, La Roche Blanche will be open on January 23 at usual hours. Concerning the social movement, the representative of the CGT trade union organization was received in audience on January 22 following the terms of continuous social dialogue at La Poste”. It specifies that the activity of postmen (delivery of mail, parcels and services) will be carried out normally.

The post offices affected by the exceptional closure on Thursday afternoon, January 23 are those of Billom, Le Cendre, Cournon-d'Auvergne Les Dômes, Courpière, Lempdes, Lezoux, Les Martres de Veyre, La Monnerie-Le-Montel, Plauzat, Pont-du-Château, Puy-Guillaume, Saint-Amant-Tallende, Saint-Dier-d'Auvergne, Thiers, Vertaizon, Veyre-Monton.