A school in Marseille -
BERTRAND LANGLOIS AFP
The question of canteens in Marseille, on strike repeatedly in recent days, electrifies the debate.
Faced with the controversy, Mayor Benoît Payan ordered the establishment of a commission of inquiry.
Yet another inventory for parents of students who are asking for something concrete and, in particular, for recruitments.
The report was added at the very last minute, this Sunday evening, in the midst of controversy, and adopted at the end of a stormy and long twelve-hour city council.
Between meals served at late hours due to the health protocol of the repeated strikes of the agents who take care of the children, the subject has become in recent weeks in Marseille highly thorny for the socialist mayor of the city Benoît Payan.
So, this Sunday, in the evening, Benoît Payan wanted to show himself in action, by announcing on social networks the opening of a commission of inquiry on Marseille schools, in a report adopted unanimously this Monday evening.
"Shedding light on what happened for 25 years"
"Last week, up to 120 school canteens were closed," said the mayor during an impromptu press point during the lunch break of the city council.
The situation is becoming untenable.
"And to add:" We have inherited a catastrophic situation especially in education services.
This commission of inquiry will shed light on what has happened over 25 years around schools in Marseille, in particular around the public service delegation entrusted to Sodexo ”for school catering.
Composed of elected representatives from the majority and the opposition, this commission of inquiry aims to "reorganize the education services" of the city of Marseille.
According to Benoît Payan, the first answers would be given "after the February holidays", in the hope of having "a canteen service in working order from September".
"Another audit"
A proposal that does not convince parents exasperated by the situation.
"It's yet another commission of inquiry, yet another audit," sighs Séverine Gil, president of the MPE13 parents' association.
But things are getting worse today.
Violence is on the rise.
There is an exasperation of the parents.
The previous majority had indeed launched an audit on the state of Marseille schools, in addition to that piloted by the state.
And to worry: "If the canteens close every day, once because there is a strike, once because the agents are sick, the parents can no longer go to work.
And people go crazy.
"
"We need recruitments"
After months of negotiations and a delayed vote, a controversial report which governs the right to strike "tatas", a recurring phenomenon in Marseille, was adopted on Monday.
And this, despite the opposition of part of the majority, but also of the FSU, the CGT and the collective of Marseille schools who demonstrated against this project on Monday in front of the municipal council, in the name of the preservation of the right of strike.
Our file on Marseille
“If we do a commission of inquiry in the face of anger, we put our finger in the eye, annoys Séverine Gil.
It is not a solution to face the current crisis.
We need urgent recruitments!
“Asked about the subject by the press, the mayor has committed to a multi-year recruitment plan in schools ... without specifying the outlines, while the city is facing major budgetary disappointments.
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Benoît Payan
Canteen
Investigative committee