France: Undocumented employees of Chronopost d'Alfortville are still asking for their regularization
Audio 01:12
Alfortville, in the Paris suburbs, march of undocumented Chronopost workers on January 31, 2022. AFP - BERTRAND GUAY
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In the Paris region, several dozen undocumented workers are asking to be regularized and to obtain French nationality.
They are Malians, Guineans, Senegalese and they have worked for Chronopost or DPD, subsidiaries of the public group La Poste.
For several weeks, they have been picketing south of Paris, in front of the warehouses where they were employed.
As before that of Alfortville where the workers have been mobilized for two months.
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A dozen makeshift shelters line the alley in front of the Chronopost warehouse.
Protected by plastic sheeting and warmed by a brazier, around fifty undocumented workers spend their days and nights here.
Under the watchful eye of the security guard recruited to guard the gate against the demonstrators, Doucouré Madiouma recounts his six months of work at Chronopost where he sorted the parcels that arrived on a conveyor belt.
“
We are workers, not criminals!
We work well…
”
On the treadmills arrive “
24,000 parcels, sometimes 19,000 parcels, sometimes 20,000 parcels… for four hours, it's too much, too hard!
The parcels, there… You will be carrying heavy stuff… The back, there, it hurts
, ”continues Doucouré Madiouma.
And for undocumented workers, no sick leave.
Doucouré Malé worked just under two years in the warehouse.
He is determined to stay there “
until the end
”.
“
What we asked for is not much.
It's just regularizations for everyone.
The French said that when a person works, he has the right to papers.
»
Doucouré Malé (undocumented worker from Mali): “we created a Whatsapp group”
Stephane Duguet
He remembers the victory of the 26 undocumented workers of Chronopost d'Alfortville, all regularized after seven months of mobilization in January 2020. For the moment, the negotiations are not progressing.
Undocumented workers are supported by the Union Syndicales Solidaires du Val-de-Marne and the collective of undocumented workers in Virty-sur-Seine.
►
Also to listen
: Amadou, employee of Chronopost: "
I did not expect to experience this in France
"
In Alfortville, I supported the strike of undocumented workers demanding their regularization.
We must enshrine the rights of those who have worked long and who have kept our economy going through the pandemic.
pic.twitter.com/SyCZskGjRu
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) January 31, 2022
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