mail accumulates at the La Poste sorting center in Gironde

“Is there no postman anymore or something?” » On the social networks, messages like this are multiplying in Gironde. And for good reason: according to the CGT-FAPT and Sud-PTT unions, thousands of letters are piling up at the Cestas Industrial Mail Platform (PIC).

In a video published on Facebook on January 15, 2025, the CGT-FAPT union affirmed that 500,000 more were outstanding, therefore not distributed, in New Aquitaine from Cestas.

“There are some absolutely everywhere,” we hear in the video shared by the CGT-FAPT. Letters with varying delays, up to more than a month.

“More than a million outstanding items”

This Wednesday, January 22, the Sud-PTT union reported a worsening situation and “more than one million folds in arrears,” explains Xavier Dauga, representative of the Sud-PTT union.

“Thirteen municipalities remained without mail for a month around Monségur, there are big delays in the Arcachon basin or in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont…” lists the trade unionist who sees three reasons for these concerns: the lack of factors at the distribution level, the centralization of distribution from the Arcachon basin to Gujan-Mestras and a lack of staff at the Cestas platform.

“The Post Office has so much removed from postmen and sorting agents that we are getting to the hard part,” says Xavier Dauga. “The management replaced temporary workers and did not renew them.”

The two unions also denounce a advertising prioritization. “For six months, we have added unaddressed advertising material to the postman's bag. Companies pay and want the job done,” continues Xavier Dauga.

According to the trade unionist, advertising prints and then parcels would thus be favored, because the latter are “ lose money to La Poste if they are not delivered on time”.

Last only come the letters. “The mail is stagnating, but it is still delivered,” underlines the trade unionist. “The lack of postmen affects all of France, but in Gironde, the most large department of France, this is particularly felt. »

Restructurings singled out

In addition, the two unions point the finger at restructuring. Before distribution, mail accumulates in Cestas which manages five departments: Gironde, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Dordogne, Landes and Lot-et-Garonne.

“With the closure of the Poitiers PIC, the letters arrive in Cestas,” says the trade unionist, and the jobs do not follow. “We increases the workload without increasing the number of people processing, then it blocks. It's going to hurt a lot when everything goes down. »

Contacted by news Bordeaux, The Post Office had not yet responded to our requests at the time of publishing these lines. With our colleagues in'Here Gironde, management recognized “temporary difficulties” which “can be explained in particular by a period of high absenteeism following a strong period of activity at the end of the year” and 70 new recruitments planned for 2025.

“I'm not a great technician, but it would be necessary at least 150 people “, retorts Xavier Dauga, for whom the argument of seasonal diseases is not enough. The union representative especially emphasizes the need for long-term hiring.

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