Paris (AFP)

With the coronavirus crisis, many temporary workers end their mission abruptly, while others go there "ball in the stomach" in the food and logistics sectors, which continue to turn and lack arms.

"What has been going back to us for three days is that people are going there in the stomach," for fear of contracting the virus, explains to AFP André Fadda, CGT-Interim, who receives multiple emails and calls since last week.

Thus, he says, in a company in the industry sector based in Douai (North), after a person was placed in confinement for a suspected coronavirus, the employees also returned home but .. not the temporary workers.

"At Geodis in Genevilliers, it was the CGT which distributed masks to the temporary workers!", He affirms.

The "protection of active workers" - temporary or not - remains "the big black spot", moved this week Laurent Berger, number one of the CFDT.

And the government since Wednesday has been forced, in view of the increasing withdrawal rights, to make civic calls so that workers in essential activities go to work.

Faced with the fear of a complete paralysis of the French economy, Emmanuel Macron added Thursday, urging companies and employees to continue their activities "in compliance with health safety rules".

In Saint-Nazaire, "90 girls who were doing the cleaning" refused to board a liner ready to be delivered, believing that they were not sufficiently protected, said Mr. Fadda again.

In the automobile or the airport, the missions stop abruptly. When they are for a day or a week, they are stopped dead. For missions of several months, interrupted halfway, normally the temporary worker must receive the remuneration. For the CGT, companies cannot put forward "force majeure" to separate themselves from it.

- Some cases of "blackmail" -

Temporary "permanent contracts", which receive a minimum income between two missions, can also perceive short-time working if it is "better", according to Mr. Fadda. However, he observed some cases of "blackmail" or "fraudulent practices".

"In some agencies, interim CDIs are asked to resign or accept a contractual breach," he said. Other agencies explain to temporary workers that if they "dare to exercise their right of withdrawal, they will not be called back for missions".

The figures released Thursday by the interim employers give you vertigo: -75% and 550,000 jobs (full-time equivalent) less forecast for the second half of March compared to the first.

"The few sectors such as retail and distribution, where temporary workers play their role in replacing absent, sick or home-based employees to look after children, represent a very small part of the volume of temporary workers" , explains this federation.

However, demand is growing in logistics and the food sector, and also in health. Sunday work in the warehouses was authorized last weekend by the government.

CDDs are housed in the same boat.

"In exceptional circumstances, a fixed-term contract can be shortened," said Labor Minister Muriel Pénicaud on Thursday. Seasonal ski resorts will be entitled to partial unemployment until April 15.

Intermittent side of the show - the French Union of Performers (SFA) estimated Wednesday at more than 15,000 the number of performers deprived of work and income - a provisional solution was found. The confinement period will be "neutralized" for the calculation of unemployment insurance rights and for those who are at the end of their rights.

Another problem in turn: if the second part of the unemployment insurance reform has been postponed, the measures that came into force in November may penalize some. In fact, to have access to compensation, you must have worked six months in the last 24 months (and no longer four months in the last 28 months).

© 2020 AFP