REPORTAGE
A strike that lasts, that lasts, and businesses already breathless. In the capital, some districts are now idling due to the mobilization against the pension reform. The traders bear the full brunt of the consequences of the strike started on December 5. The organization of certain stores, supermarkets and restaurants is now completely subservient to the very limited or no operation of public transport.
"We can not do it at all"
"There, we're going to close the shop, it's seven o'clock, and I have to hurry up to catch my last train, it's a bit of a race." With the strike, Cynthia lowers the curtain of her shop in the Châtelet district in Paris an hour earlier, leaving some customers outside. "It's problematic because this is the time when we realize at least 20% of our turnover, with the holidays approaching ... There, we do nothing," she laments.
In the supermarket opposite, one-third of the employees are missing, regrets Moktar, the manager. And on the shelves, the goods pile up. "There are not enough staff, I should have finished at 1 pm, I stay until 9 pm Cleaning, deliveries ... I do everything, we can not do it at all." A few blocks away, Ariane's restaurant is empty, like the cold room, for lack of delivery. "Normally, it goes up to the ceiling and there are only two rows of food," she says. "Everything has been postponed, and some delivery men have asked us to deliver at night!" These deliveries, however, are likely to remain on his hands, because with the strike, the establishment has lost half of its customers.
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In the region, the anxiety of small craftsmen
And the slowdown in economic activity does not only concern Paris and Île-de-France, where residents are particularly dependent on public transport. After experiencing a dark year because of "yellow vests", small artisans in the region are among the traders most impacted by the leak barges. With blocked city centers or trade routes located on the event route, many people are now turning to the internet for Christmas shopping, and the physical shops are losing their business.
" When he passes 100 people usually, he spends more than ten now "Thus, on Tuesday, in Grenoble, while the demonstration was in full swing in the middle of the afternoon, tram traffic was interrupted, and the city center was completely deserted, as was Christian's shoe store. . "A day like that is 70% losses," he says. "When he passes 100 people usually, he spends more than ten now." A little further, Marie-Noëlle, a florist, draws an equally alarmist statement: "I have never seen this, and it's been 32 years since I've been there. must we do? ", she worries.
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"The strikers are putting pressure on the government, but they are also breaking and kneeling the economy of our country.They shoot themselves in the foot," denounces from Europe 1 Bernard Stalter, the president of the Chamber of Trades and Crafts. "I heard a striker explain that he can lose up to 600 euros by striking, but sometimes it's the monthly salary of a craftsman! It's time for it to stop." Now, the worst fear of these small shopkeepers is to see the disturbances continue until Christmas.