the essential
These two caregivers from the Saint-Jacques EHPAD in Verdun-sur-Garonne (Tarn-et-Garonne), dismissed after seven months of layoff, continue to fight to have their rights recognized: they will go to the administrative court. For her part, the director of the establishment accepts her decision.
Incomprehension, feeling of injustice, suffering, depression despite the support of family and colleagues, union members or not, and also refusal to accept. “This is what we have been through since March,” explained Catherine Triquenaux, nurse, and Nathalie Cagnac, nursing assistant (respectively twelve years and thirty-five years of service), Monday September 30, 2024, in front of the door from their former workplace, the Saint-Jacques EHPAD in Verdun-sur-Garonne.
Supported by members of their union, CFDT santé-sociaux, who had called for a solidarity strike, they spent the day with former colleagues, parents, friends and relatives of residents. A support sheet gathered 140 signatures, many of them from parents of residents.
The majority of the disciplinary council advocated a lesser sanction
The case officially began six months ago, on March 4 and 5, with their suspension as a precautionary measure following an audit of part of the staff to help improve life in the establishment. . In short, the dismissal of the two employees by management for reported serious misconduct. A massive blow for the two caregivers, also active within the CFDT: no problems in their entire career and a 2023 rating recognizing their professional involvement within the establishment.
On July 25, the two employees and their defense were summoned to a disciplinary council including the director of the nursing home and another establishment director, two staff representatives and the mayor Stéphane Tuyères. At the end of the session, having heard the various arguments, the majority of the council advocated a lesser sanction than that requested by management: temporary exclusion from functions for a period of ten days for one and fifteen days for the other. ‘other.
This is where I have spent my entire career, it is my entire life, and I would like to come back.
On September 16, the two employees received a letter informing them of their dismissal. Among the reasons given, those concerning lingerie, hotel and cleaning staff: “regular and repeated ill will towards one’s work colleagues”, “desire to impose one’s way of doing and seeing things” and “to use for this their union mandate.
And now ? Nathalie doesn’t see herself anywhere else: “This is where I’ve spent my entire career, it’s my whole life, and I would like to come back.” Catherine agrees, she too would like to come back. They may indeed have one chance left: appeal to the administrative court.
For Edyta Sourbier, general secretary of the CFDT health and social section, “this day of solidarity with our colleagues and public information was positive. We also discussed the working conditions here which are deteriorating, as in many nursing homes: rapid turnover, sick leave, etc. »
The director: “Their dismissal is justified for me”
Céline Malgouires, director of the Saint-Jacques nursing home since 2020, takes responsibility for her choices and decisions: “I recognize the professional quality of these two agents, but there were elements of their conduct which were problematic and for which I had already particularly about behavior in their work towards certain colleagues.
I cannot go into details, but before making a decision, there was an external audit and also, on my part, an internal investigation. And their dismissal is, for me, justified by serious professional misconduct. I can’t go into detail about protecting them. The disciplinary council gave an advisory opinion, but I decided on the sanction that seems justified to me. For me, I have a double priority as director: to defend the working conditions of agents which have an impact on the care of residents which must be the best possible.”
This Monday, September 30, the director had to make three requisitions to replace strikers, and she noticed that others were working but showing their support for their colleagues with a badge. At snack time, the service seemed normal in the large hall of the Verdun-sur-Garonne nursing home.
