The dedicated confederal team was already working on the organization of the XXVe FO congress in January 2021, date of a first visit to Rouen. There will be four more. Envisaging everything so that such a body is held in the best conditions is a titanic task. Challenge met, everything is ready to welcome the 3,000 participants including 2,000 delegates representing more than 3,800 mandates.
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Like any FO confederal congress, the organization of this XXVe edition began with the choice of a site suitable for so many people: delegates, guests including international ones, partner-exhibitors, comrades of the organization ‒ sixty in number for this year ‒, security service… And this was just the beginning ! To manage then, the concern for transport infrastructures to access the site, the hotel capacity of the city, meal orders… To host the entire FO congress, several thousand accommodations are necessary. This week in Rouen means 15,000 overnight stays and as many meals. This last point required choosing one of the caterers approved by the site and of course the menus offered… By testing them, seriously oblige. Wink from the treasurer of the confederation, Patrick Privat, on this subject: It is the moment of pleasure in all the workload that represents the organization of a congress !
Because in this cumbersome organization, nothing is left to chance, starting with the specifications sent to the exhibition center, which allows it to then contact its service providers to plan the layout of rooms, tables, the chains, the movable partitions, the various equipment, the sound system… In constant contact with the site, FO had to determine its needs to then fix the layout of the rooms (plenary, those of the committees, press…), delimit the reception area, computerized, or that of the exhibitors, thirty-five this year without counting the confederal stand, that of the UD and the FO shop. And when we are at this stage, there is still a lot of work…
A confederation relocated to Normandy for a week
For their part, the delegates registered themselves online via e-fo.fr and declared the number of their mandates (from one to ten). These have been validated by the UDs, the federations and, for compliance, by the confederation. New, for this congress the delegates had to enter their union card number to be able to register. More classically, be up to date with their contributions, up to those of 2021. The method of registration worked well and everything is transparent for everyone
, says Patrick Privat. Voting materials and badges have been sent to delegates since May 10. Latecomers to registration must collect them at the congress reception.
Still within the framework of the preparations, knowing the number of delegates, who themselves have reserved and paid for their hotel rooms or accommodation, as well as their meals, has enabled the confederation to precisely set the orders for said meals. Essential, because plan for ten people or for more than two thousand a day, it’s not the same !
, summarizes the treasurer of FO. Especially since the confederation participates for 10 euros per meal
, which implies a substantial budget, recalls Patrick Privat. And to also specify that during this congress, cash will not be used on the site. For security reasons, payments (including those for the bar) will be made by credit card.
Of course, the confederation also had to work on managing the accommodation of the confederal staff that it sends to the Rouen site, but also the hotel facilities provided for the guests, French and international, the members of the Confederal Bureau… In total, this represents 184 rooms over five days, or more than 900 overnight stays. Somehow the confederation is relocating for a week
, says Patricia Vidalain, confederal assistant, for whom this is the fourth congress at the very heart of the organization. This movement of a large part of the confederation has its imperatives, among other things determining the assignments of its personnel on the Normandy site, but also organizing the transport of equipment from the different sectors, including IT and printing resources. Three trucks, including a semi-trailer, made the trip from Paris to Rouen this weekend to transport all the necessary equipment.
Think about returning the ballot boxes !
Prior to the congress, the employees of the confederation have already been asked to envelop the activity report (136 pages) that each sector has participated in drafting and which is printed in 13,500 copies. In the same way, it was necessary to produce the bulletin of the congress (printed in 4,000 copies) which the delegates also find in their bags. Also provide, among other things, the members of the mandates control commission and that of the conflicts, or even reserve the ballot boxes. And it is the city of Rouen which lent them. Ballot boxes that will however have to be returned as soon as possible after the congress, next legislative elections oblige.
Each congress is different to organize because the sites are different and therefore what is feasible too. But, what is always the most complicated, is to obtain fairly quickly the essential answers on the number of delegates, exhibiting partners… However, some take a long time to answer. !
smiles the one who has been juggling daily for a year and a half with the difficulties of wedges
. Patricia Vidalain therefore sometimes likes to dream of her next retirement after fifteen years spent in the confederation.
Pandemic preparation
Patrick Privat, for his part, is delighted first of all that this congress has indeed been able to be organized, and in good conditions. What was not won, the Covid epidemic has left great uncertainties in recent months. We were afraid of not being able to hold it. We also had to plan to have the health pass checked.
Everyone rejoices, such is not the situation today. The confederation has however provided for the provision of hydroalcoholic gel on the site and masks for the teams of the organization.
FO therefore takes up residence for a week at the exhibition center, which belongs to the local authority of Rouen. Such an entity is not motivated by the fact of
notes the treasurer of the confederation, specifying that make money
this is increasingly rare
concerning the large reception structures that can accommodate congresses of this magnitude. Because most of them belong to the private sector… Moreover, he points out, it is rewarding for a city to host such a congress
. The confederation has thus obtained free urban transport for delegates (five round trips from the site to the city centre), or even the modification of tram timetables to facilitate travel. For their part, restaurateurs have committed to closing establishments later (around 2 a.m.). This promises moments of relaxation between the long days of serious debates. Welcome to Rouen.
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