heartache bonuses for the “heroines” of the distribution

“A thousand euros? Me I had 300 euros at the end of April and I still have to have 300 in May”: Mylène, full-time in a Carrefour City in Paris, is far from the 1,000 euros promised to the “heroines” of large retailers. Like her, many employees are likely to be disappointed, after the resounding announcements of the bosses of the large distribution at the end of March, invited by the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire to “pay the bonus of 1000 euros fully tax exempt to their employees who have the courage to go to their place of work. “

In detail, “these 1,000 euros, very few employees will receive them,” says Amar Lagha of CGT Commerce. In most stores, the premium is “prorated” according to working time. However, the branch accounts for almost 30% of part-time work. It will generally be paid to employees in contact with the public and present in the company at the time of payment, often at the end of June or July, which excludes many fixed-term and temporary workers.

Amputated premium

Carrefour plans to pay 1,000 euros regardless of working time to 85,000 employees (out of a total of 105,000) exposed to the public in stores, in driveways and warehouses. But its franchised proximity stores such as Carrefour City in Mylène are masters at home. Lidl paid 400 euros in February, and will pay an additional 600 euros at the end of July, prorated according to working time. At Auchan and Casino (Monoprix, Franprix, Casino supermarkets and Giants, Leader Price, CDiscount), the premium will go “up to” 1,000 euros, depending on working time.

Zouhir, 55, cashier at the Monoprix des Passages in Boulogne-Billancourt, will see his premium cut because he was hospitalized 15 days after contracting the Covid-19, denounces the CGT. Monoprix defends “fairness criteria” and recalls that an employer “is not supposed to know what the employee is sick with”. According to the Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), 80% of the 350,000 or so employees of large so-called “integrated” brands (Carrefour, Auchan, Casino, etc.) should receive a bonus.

Revalue these trades

For the 350,000 employees of franchisees and freelancers (Intermarché, Système U, Leclerc), the decision depends on the management of the store. “This is a scam,” says Amar Lagha. “A false good idea,” says Olivier Guivarch (CFDT of Services), for whom “it creates division between employees”. Carole Desiano, Federal Secretary FGTA-FO, deplores mostly unilateral announcements, without negotiation. “It has the merit of rewarding an unprecedented effort, but it should not stop there,” she added. “We will have to revalue these essential professions which are often poorly considered”.

The Minister of Labor, Muriel Pénicaud, assured France May 13 on France 2 about the “invisible” on the front line in the crisis (cashiers, cleaning agents, etc.) that she would “convene the professional branches concerned so that we look at how they can take into account these trades in their classifications, in their salary development, which need to be valued. “

Agreement not extended

“We did not wait for this crisis to deal with the development of wages and trades,” retorts Renaud Giroudet, director of social affairs for the FCD. And to recall that the FCD and the unions are in litigation with the Ministry of Labor on a 2018 agreement which fixed minimum annual amounts by classification. In addition, the Ministry of Labor has still not “extended” to the branch, making it mandatory, the last agreement of September 2019. This agreement nevertheless improves by 2,717 euros gross annual the annual remuneration for a cashier (2,550 for a smicard), according to the FCD.

The ministry believes that these branch agreements can not set the standard for remuneration and 13th month, in line with the Macron ordinances of September 2017 which give precedence to company agreements. “Let the ministry already extend the agreement,” exclaims Olivier Guivarch, who “expects nothing from this government that blows hot and cold” and “demands action!”

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