GRDF: a strike in Paris disrupts activity, customers without heating or hot water

Europe 1 with AFP 5:01 p.m., November 23, 2022

The activity of the gas distributor GRDF, affected by a social movement, has been "severely disrupted" for several days, mainly in Paris and Ile-de-France, which deprives certain homes of heating and hot water, a- we learned Wednesday from concordant sources.

Agents of the group are still on strike at the call of the first trade union of the company, the CGT, which rejects an agreement on wages signed on November 18 by the three other representative trade union organizations (CFDT, CFE-Energie, FO) .

"As we have many agents on strike, there are a number of interventions with users that cannot be carried out," Eric Gautier, CGT union coordinator at GRDF, told AFP.

Given the population density, the situation is particularly problematic in the Paris region, "where there are major filters carried out by agents on strike" and where intervention vehicles "come out drop by drop", according to Eric Gautier.

Clients report appointment cancellations

"In Ile-de-France, the majority of our activity is severely disrupted," confirmed the management of GRDF, joined by AFP.

"Anything that can be postponed is postponed and the usual requests take longer than usual, that's for sure," added the same source, without being able to give figures, whether on the extent of these consequences or waiting times.

"I have had neither heating nor hot water for ten days," testified to AFP Mathilde Adeyemi, 27, who works in the fashion sector, and who recently moved into a roommate in the north of Paris.

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His appointment with a GRDF technician, for connection to the gas network, was scheduled for 15 November.

"On the 14th, I received a text message from GRDF explaining to me that my appointment was canceled because there is a social movement", reported Mathilde Adeyemi, annoyed, specifying that she had not heard back since. and having been confronted, on the telephone, with agents saturated with calls.

Some of these employees of the GRDF telephone platforms "asserted their right of withdrawal", because they were "tired of being yelled at", the CGT told AFP.

The salary agreement notably provides for a 2.3% increase for all, retroactive to July 1, in addition to an increase in the national basic salary obtained at branch level.