Inès Zeghloul, edited by Yanis Darras 8:47 p.m., October 25, 2022

In an attempt to improve its offer, the RATP has announced that it will give a bonus of 450 euros to its drivers.

Only condition: to have no absence by the end of the year.

The company thus wishes to fight against absenteeism within its ranks.

For the unions, this bonus is "a bonus of shame".

Endless wait times and angry users.

Since the start of the 2022 school year, the RATP bus offer has collapsed, for lack of drivers, causing the hassle of travelers.

To remedy this, the company has been offering drivers since October and until the end of the year an attendance bonus to combat absenteeism. 

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The company will thus pay a 100 euro bonus to the drivers during their first month without absence.

An amount which will increase to 150 euros during the second month, before reaching the 200 euros premium in the third month without absence.

In total, the RATP will pay a bonus of 450 euros to drivers with no absences in the next three months. 

"It's totally discriminatory"

With this bonus, the RATP indicates that it wants to salute the commitment and investment of the drivers.

But on the union side, we denounce a discriminatory measure.

"In view of the criteria which are put in this note, the company prevents, in particular those who are in accident at work, on strike etc, from receiving this bonus", denounces the secretary of the union La Base RATP, Arnaud Moinet. 

"It's totally discriminatory. The management is trying to put bandages on a wooden leg. It's a bonus of shame", he concludes at the microphone of Europe 1. 

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Not the right method

For the unions, a bonus will not solve the absenteeism and the resignations of the drivers within the company.

"The management says to itself 'we allow ourselves three months to make as many hires as possible'. But hiring someone does not mean that they will stay", underlines Abdel of the Force Ouvrière union. 

"If he does not find himself in family life, if he no longer finds himself in salary, because bonuses have disappeared, then he will resign. And that is the case, people are resigning in shambles at the RATP. People will simply look for a job elsewhere", regrets the trade unionist.

The only way out of the crisis for the latter: a salary increase and an improvement in working conditions.