It's D-Day for Amazon employees. For the first time since April 16, the doors of the six French distribution centers of the American giant reopened Tuesday morning. The warehouses, closed following the decision of the French justice which enjoined the e-commerce company to review its sanitary measures linked to the coronavirus, will resume their activity gradually. A recovery plan over three weeks validated by the unions, which remain vigilant about the new working conditions.
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A recovery on the principle of volunteering
The takeover in distribution centers was the subject of an agreement between management and Amazon unions. It is organized in three waves. As of Tuesday, a third of the group's 10,000 or so employees will return to work (employees and temporary workers). A return only to the principle of volunteering. Then, next week, management and unions set a target between 50 and 80% of the workforce, before going to 100% on June 3.
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"It's voluntary work, so that's why we accept this takeover. After that, risk prevention is not limited to putting on scotch tape, gloves, masks and gel", underlines Harold Propin, central CGT delegate from Amazon. He insists in particular on the necessary management of psychosocial risks. "All the measures that have been implemented imply a modification of the working conditions of the employees. This has an impact on their mental and psychological state and, so far, this has not been sufficiently taken into account by management. "
A voluntary closure
Following the complaint by the Sud Commerce union, the courts forced Amazon to carry out an assessment of the professional risks linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, and asked it in the meantime to limit itself to the delivery of "essential" products ", under penalty of 100,000 euros per offense. The online business giant, deeming it impossible to comply with this constraint without risking an offense, preferred to close its warehouses, while continuing to deliver from its platforms abroad and certain French sites not affected by the injunction.
Hourly premium for volunteers
However, Amazon management wants to return to normal activity as quickly as possible. If the 50% threshold is not reached the week of May 25 thanks to volunteering, "management still reserves the right to 'requisition' CDI", says Harold Propin. To encourage employees to return and accelerate the recovery, Amazon has therefore decided to maintain, for volunteers, the premium of two euros per hour implemented at the beginning of the health crisis in its warehouses.
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On site, workers will find redeveloped sites after consultation between management and the social partners. The justice system had pointed out security breaches, particularly in the changing rooms or at the entrance gates, devices which have therefore been adapted to respect social distancing. As for warehouse workers who do not want to work immediately, they will remain 100% paid by Amazon the time they return.