"No more applause, make way for rallies." Doctors, nursing aides and nurses will return to the streets everywhere in France, Tuesday, June 16, to put pressure on the executive and remind it of the promises made during three months of health crisis due to the epidemic of Covid-19. This while the government finds itself in full "Ségur de la santé", intended to rebuild the French health system.

From Paris to Montpellier via Metz, Dunkirk and Bobigny, more than 220 rallies are planned as part of this national day of action, organized at the call of a dozen unions and caregiver collectives (CGT, FO, Unsa, Sud, Collective Inter-Hospitals ...).

The objective is to take advantage of the support garnered from the population during the health crisis in order to obtain progress for employees of hospitals and nursing homes. They were hailed as "heroes in white coats" by the head of state at the start of the epidemic.

"Chocolate medals and promises will not be enough"

"The government's soothing speeches, the chocolate medals and the promises of random and hypothetical bonuses will not be enough. Now we need real human and budgetary resources for public health," warned the CGT in a press release.

In Paris, a demonstration is planned at 1 p.m. in front of the Minister of Health, in the presence of several union leaders, including Philippe Martinez (CGT) and Yves Veyrier (FO). The rally will be followed by a procession towards the National Assembly and the Invalides.

Elsewhere, most of the other demonstrations will take place in front of hospitals and medical-social establishments, where the CFDT has also filed a strike notice. Home helpers and retiree associations have also planned to join the movements.

The caregivers, on the front line facing the Covid-19, are demanding a "recruitment plan" and a "general revaluation of wages", of the order of 300 to 400 euros according to the unions. They want "the end of all closings of establishments, services and beds".

"After 14 months of mobilization and a health crisis, a return to the 'abnormal' is unthinkable. For users, it is no longer the time to applaud the caregivers but to support our demands", insists the Collectif Inter- Hospitals, spearhead of a movement started a year ago.

"Concrete answers now"

This day of mobilization, the culmination of a series of actions carried out in recent weeks at the hospital, in the context in particular of "Tuesdays of anger", comes right in the middle of the "Ségur de la santé", launched May 25 by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe.

This consultation, led by Nicole Notat and intended to overhaul the French health system, should lead by the beginning of July to concrete proposals. But no figures have been put on the table at this stage, especially for wage increases.

A source of exasperation for unions. "The trade unions cannot work in constant improvisation and in the absence of allocated resources", deplored a dozen medical organizations, including the Federation of Doctors of France (FMF), denouncing a "pretense" .

"The Ségur de la santé methodology poses a problem", added the Inter-Hospital Collective, regretting "the lack of transparency in the conduct of the work". "Concrete answers must be given now," he insisted.

In this context, a union, Sud Santé, decided to close the door on the discussions, denouncing a "vast communication operation". This gesture has not been emulated for the moment but other organizations have raised the threat of a departure.

Increase in overtime at the hospital, paid before September

Questioned Monday on LCI, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran wanted to be reassuring. "We are working, we are moving forward," he said, indicating that "more than a hundred consultations at the national level" had been carried out since the start of the Ségur.

Random calendar? The government published this weekend decrees confirming the payment of an exceptional bonus of 1,000 to 1,500 euros for employees of nursing homes, and a 50% increase in overtime worked at the hospital, which will be paid before September.

Regarding the salary increases promised within the framework of Ségur, "the appointment is fixed" with the caregivers, also reminded Monday Olivier Véran. "By early July, they will have all the answers to the questions they ask and the claims they legitimately make."

With AFP

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