This is the third Emmaüs community in the North to go on strike. The companions of Tourcoing are also calling for regulation of undocumented immigrants and improvement of their working conditions.
Their movement is growing, and illustrates the discomfort encountered on a daily basis.
After the companions of the Halte Saint-Jean of Saint-André-Lez-Lille went on strike on July 3, joined by 40 companions of the Emmaüs Grande-Synthe branch on August 22, it is the turn of the companions of the Tourquennoise antenna to enter the fight.
A strike which began a few days after the letter received by the Dunkirk companions, threatened with finding themselves on the street.
Since this Tuesday, September 12, 2023, around forty companions have gathered in front of the main Emmaüs warehouse on rue D’Hondschoote in Tourcoing (North), accompanied by representatives of the association’s employees on permanent contracts and employees on integration contracts. from the Emmaüs Village store in Neuville-en-Ferrain.
These three categories of workershave collectively decided to go on strike”, indicates the CGT. As in Saint-André and Grande-Synthe, the Tourquennois workers denounce their working conditions.scandalous” and ask for a “radical change at the head of the association”.
Hygiene (of rats), safety (unsuitable machines, injuries), working conditions (40 grueling hours per week), racist remarks and contemptuous attitudes…
Extract from the press release from the local union of the CGT Tourcoing
Achraf, a 32-year-old Moroccan, has been a companion since February 2021. “I do a lot of jobs: communications manager, I train people at checkout, sales, reception, restocking, he lists. I work 40 hours a week for 350 euros per month. I deserve an employment contract, pay slips to prove that I have skills and that I am integrated here.”
A testimony, illustration of the demands established by the strikers. Among those :
the global and exceptional regularization of undocumented immigrants from Emmaüs Tourcoing, “as the price of the damage suffered for years”
the reclassification into employee contracts of the statuses of “volunteers”
improving working conditions
“You know, working here today is a bit like a life sentence and we don’t know how long it will continue, adds Ashraf. We are reaching our limits and the only hope we have left is to get our message across by going on strike.”
At the time of writing this article, we have not been able to contact the management of Emmaüs Tourcoing.
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