Strike on the Tango transport network in Nîmes: the Agglo asks striking employees to “trust” it

L'élue de l'Agglo Claude de Girardi (au centre) demande de la patience aux salariés avant le choix du nouveau délégataire des transports. Archive MIKAEL ANISSET

Claude de Girardi, delegate for urban and peri-urban road passenger transport, looks back on the social movement which has been affecting the Tango public transport network in Nîmes every morning since Monday January 8.

Since Monday, January 8, there have been disruptions on the Tango network every morning with walkouts by employees who want the social pact to be signed by the Agglo . How do you see the end to the crisis ?

I can understand the concerns of employees when there is a change of employer, which will be the case with the new public service delegation next July. But at the same time for employees, there is little risk. They have the law which clearly governs the replacement of one transport operator by another. Nothing can modify the collective agreement, everything is included in full.

L'intersyndicale indicates that the signing of the social pact in no way hinders the process to designate the delegate. Why don't you renew the dialogue with the unions ?

They want us to sign the social pact. But it's not our responsibility, there are rules that govern that. As for dialogue, we have met staff representatives several times. We are not planning any further meetings. (…) The Agglo's desire is to have the network as adapted as possible to the needs of users with the search for the best price because we are talking here about # 39;use public money.

There are competition rules. We have been using this public service delegation for 40 years and as far as I know, the employees have lost nothing each time with a new transport operator. There has even been progress.

The inter-union evokes Annex 2 of this contract which plans the elimination of more than 91 drivers, an increase in subcontracting, a reduction in the number of buses. An annex frozen with the Covid crisis. Does the Agglo plan to use the terms of this annex ?

This appendix 2 is a document that was signed in 2018, at the time of the arrival of the delegatee Transdev, by the president of the company. #39;Agglo then Yvan Lachaud. But this contract will expire from July 2024. As for subcontracting, the delegatee manages the urban lines directly. It is mainly the school lines which are subcontracted.

The current situation is 50-50 between direct management and subcontracting. No one will be fired. Currently, in addition to the 360 ​​current employees, it is necessary to call on temporary workers.

The amount of 44 M€ of the future contract is mentioned, or eight million less than the current one. How do you plan to maintain the service with these savings ?

There was competition between the candidates for the DSP. Our objective is to create, for example, the T5 line to serve Vaunage, to reorganize the network, to make it attractive to relieve congestion at the entrances to the city. Afterwards, we will be attentive to the lines which transport three people every 45 minutes.

It won't be worth continuing. We are looking for the best service at the best price. We will know the amount of the contract in mid-February and the name of the delegatee immediately. I ask employees to be patient and to trust us.

Update on the Tango network

This Wednesday, January 10, from 6:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., the social movement will impact the Tango public transport network. Thus, urban lines T1, T2, T3, T4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15 and 16 will not run. The boutique on rue Régale will close its doors at 5 p.m.

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