"We won't give up": in Landes, employees of the Cers in Capbreton continue their strike

Despite numerous discussions, the establishment's management and union representatives have been unable to reach a compromise. Employees will begin their twelfth day of mobilization this Friday, July 18.

At the entrance to the European Sports Rehabilitation Center (Cers) in Capbreton, the atmosphere is explosive: amidst the early morning surfers heading to the beach, around thirty caregivers are gathered. On white sheets, some of them, armed with red spray paint, are writing "On Strike" in capital letters. "Our tarpaulins and flags were removed on Monday," says Brice Marin, logistics manager at Cers, and, more importantly, union representative at the CFDT. "So we're starting all over again."

Since Monday, July 7, some Cers employees, including all nursing staff, have been on strike. With no news from management for 48 hours, the strike is set to continue this Friday, July 18, Brice Marin said. The private clinic's employees have multiple demands: the introduction of an annual bonus of €1,800 per employee, the implementation of Amendment 33 (an agreement signed in 2020 to increase salaries in the private healthcare sector, editor's note), and improved working conditions.

Despite several meetings between union representatives and the establishment's managers, no agreement has yet been reached. "We wanted to discuss a way out of the crisis, but management won't give up a cent," grumbles the logistics manager. Faced with the lack of response, the CFDT union representatives contacted Ramsay Santé , the European leader in the private healthcare sector, which owns 488 establishments across the old continent, including the Cers. At the end of the day on Thursday, July 17, negotiations were still ongoing.

For its part, management told Sud-Ouest that it is determined to continue discussions with staff in a transparent manner. Regarding Amendment 33, Vincent Delcros, the school's director, places the blame squarely on the government, which initiated the agreement and is responsible for funding it. "Private institutions are currently financially unable to implement Amendment 33 without jeopardizing their own stability," he said.

The consequences of this mobilization were swift. Management claims to have been forced to reschedule some patients due to a lack of staff. On Google, one patient left a bitter review: "Not enough people, no follow-up [...]. It's sad for the patients, but especially for the caregivers who give their all and are not recognized. Very disappointed."

For Brice Marin, the conclusion is clear. "We're giving the impression that the Cers is in good health, but that's not true," he says. The strikers are pointing to a staff shortage in the face of an ever-increasing number of patients. "Six years ago, there were three nurses for 145 patients. Today, it's two nurses for more than 200 patients!" says one of them, who has been in the position for about twenty years and wished to remain anonymous. Management, for its part, claims to have carried out several recruitments in recent months, without specifying the nature of the positions.

The mobilization began just after the Cers fully reopened , undergoing partial renovations for a period of two years. All rooms were renovated at a cost of €6 million, according to management. This modernization came at the expense of the working conditions of caregivers, according to the strikers. "We worked under the noise of screwdrivers, with water leaks and overcrowded offices," assures Brice Marin. The union representative states that the strike will continue if no compromise is reached with management.