In his trunk, packs of water, grenadine syrup and down. "I know I can hold on, I'm healthy, I can go far, but I'm not going to put myself in danger either," said Friday Xavier Gaspard, 34, a salesman in the paint department and CGT delegate at the Castorama of Lampertheim (Bas-Rhin).

Since March 13, the young man, athletic, in black hoodie and white sneakers, has been working to highlight the "growing precariousness" he and his colleagues face.

"I want to be able to live on my salary," he explains, leaning on his car, denouncing the "consumer credits" that some of his colleagues have contracted to "fill their fridges or fill up with fuel".

With 13 years of seniority, and a salary of 1,400 euros net per month, this single father of two children has returned to live with his parents since his separation. "Finding an apartment with my salary is very complicated. The rent is minimum 700 euros, I am asked to earn three times that amount, it's just impossible."

Locks

He observes inflation every day, in his professional activity as well as in his private life. "We have customers who have projects spread over time. When they see the increase in prices, we take remarks in the face, there are some who abandon their projects."

Xavier Gaspard, salesman at Castorama, displays placards to demand his hunger strike in front of his store, on March 17, 2023 in Lampertheim, Bas-Rhin © Frederick FLORIN / AFP

He himself says he is "stunned" to see meat trays "protected by anti-theft" in supermarkets: "it shows that people can no longer do it".

According to INSEE, food products have increased by 14.8% in one year. But this average hides an even higher inflation for certain products: +24% for butter, 20% for pasta, 19% for rice or yogurt, 16% for coffee.

In the parking lot of the store, his signs catch the eye and often earn him the sympathy of customers.

"I totally understand. There are more and more people who are in this case and I find it unfortunate, "says Marie-Rose, 51, employee at a manufacturer of electrical components. "But it's true that everything has increased. I only buy what I need, there is no more pleasure purchase."

On his fifth day of hunger strike, Friday, about fifteen of his colleagues walked out and left their posts to express their solidarity.

Digging into savings

"To go on hunger strike is to go very far, but it is the only way to be heard. It bothers me that we have to get to this point for the management to hear us, "laments Stéphane, 55, employee of Castorama for 31 years and paid 1,450 euros monthly. "Since November, I've been taking into my savings a little bit every month to fill the hole in my bank account."

At the end of February, eight of his colleagues had slept in the store to ask for wage increases, "but it has not moved," he regrets. "The siege does not give any sign of life."

Solicited, the management of Castorama ensures to have proceeded to a "revaluation of the salary scale of 7.3% between March 2022 and March 2023" and a "minimum general increase of 70 €".

"We asked how many employees of the store were actually concerned, they did not want to tell us," disputes Xavier Gaspard, who claims on the contrary that the mandatory annual negotiations have brought him an increase of only 37 euros net.

"Our group is the European leader in DIY. This year, it's 540 million euros in dividends paid to shareholders," he said. "The gap with the treatment of employees is huge. That has to change."

© 2023 AFP