This Tuesday, May 24 in Dijon, the health personnel of CHS La Chartreuse are on strike. They deplore a lack of staff which directly impacts patients and their own safety. At the end of the day on Wednesday, they will meet with management to discuss the situation.
Nearly sixty medical agents were mobilized this Tuesday, May 24 at 1 p.m. in front of the La Chartreuse Hospital Center in Dijon. On site, staff on rest or on break are campaigning to express their fed up with the lack of staff.
What triggered this strike was the request of a Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committee (CHSCT) for the establishment’s health personnel. First refused by management, the CHSCT will finally take place tomorrow at the end of the day. The CHSCT takes place when there is an imminent danger. But for François Martin, director of the hospital center, absenteeism does not represent an imminent danger.
Sylvie, a retired nurse and union activist wanted to be present. For her, the CHSCT will be useful because it allows agents to talk about their working conditions. The drop in staff is linked to the absence of nursing staff on sick leave or on rest.
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For Sylvie, the drop in staff has a direct impact on the safety of healthcare personnel. According to the protocol in place, it takes two nurses to visit a patient in isolation. However, Sylvie explains that recently a hospital service agent (ASH) gave a meal alone to a patient in isolation.
On the spot, we find Delphine, general secretary at the CGT and night nurse’s aide. She is on vacation but absolutely wants to support her colleagues. For her, the observation is the same as Sylvie, the security procedure has deteriorated. It was she who filed, on May 3, the alert that gave rise to the CHSCT.
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“We have increased the beds in some departments but the staff remains the same.“Delphine describes a situation that has been deteriorating for 5 years, which the Covid-19 has accentuated.
Following the health crisis, a reserve system had been put in place. It is still in effect today. Health personnel only want a wave of recruitment to relieve them and better exercise their professions.
It is complicated ! So, we understand that it is national but we work in psychiatry, we still have safety rules to respect.
Delphine, caregiver and general secretary at the CGT
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Some nurses sometimes say they come with a lump in their stomach, “we wonder when the day of the tragedy will arrive“. For them, the insecurity is also illustrated in the fact of not knowing their patients. Because of the reserve device, they can no longer follow the patients properly.
For Jonathan, caregiver and union member of the SUD (Union syndicale Solidaires), the workforce no longer corresponds to demand. “We find it difficult to find ourselves in our work” he reveals.
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He fears that the situation will deteriorate further. That it leads to the closure of service at CHS La Chartreuse.
If the absenteeism rate does not reduce, we will have to close services
Jonathan, caregiver and union member at the SUD
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François Martin, the director of the hospital center, indicates that the rate of absenteeism is currently estimated at 13%. “I calibrate the workforce to be at 10% absenteeism, we are not too bad at the moment“, he asserts.
According to him, the real problem is absenteeism, particularly due to sick leave. This is the reason why the holidays of health personnel are not modified. The objective for him is to fix the workforce for the summer.
I completely understand the staff and I want to thank them for their investment
François Martin, director of CHS La Chartreuse
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Activists worry about the future of their profession. According to them, it has already happened several times that students in training do the work of experienced agents. According to Delphine, there is not enough time to train the students in the internship.
For a nurse in post for 13 years “there is no more vocation“. He adds “If I was a student and saw what’s going on in health services right now, I wouldn’t want to apply.“
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