The former director of the Mines d’Alès Student House is demanding nearly €600,000 from his ex-employer

LA MAISON DES ELEVES DE L ASSOCIATION DES ANCIENS ELEVES DE L'ECOLE DES MINES D'ALES ATTISE TOUTES LES CONVOITISES Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Erwan Busson attaque l’Association des anciens élèves pour harcèlement moral.

For several years, the rag has been burning between the management of the Association of former students of the École des Mines d’Alès (AEMA) in charge of the Student House ( ME or Moo for students) and a group of opponents.

The Nîmes Court of Appeal even had to intervene to restore order to the venerable house created in 1883.

Moral harassment or smokescreen ?

This Friday, the former director of the ME, Erwan Busson, pushed towards the exit, demanded nearly 600,000 € to his former employer before the industrial tribunal of Alès. The association manages an annual budget of 3 million euros, but above all holds a substantial real estate portfolio spread over 10 hectares, with 702 housing units in 24 buildings.

Against the backdrop of a preliminary investigation into favoritism opened in 2019 and still ongoing, a new board of directors of the association was elected in June 2021. The new president, Élizabeth Pinquier, launched a vast inventory and increased requests for documents and supporting documents from the now former director of the ME.

"Requests which amount to moral harassment, maintains Me Aurélie Schneider, counsel to Erwan Busson. He had more than 20 years of seniority. He was a very dedicated executive, appreciated by students, available to handle problems, even at night or on weekends, for a salary of 7,800 € per month. The CSE was alerted of his situation. He received a warning, a 12-page document, which corresponds to nothing, for prescribed facts and at the same time he was drowned in multiple requests, injunctions, while cutting back on his prerogatives. He received numerous emails which he did not have time to respond to. He was overworked, until he broke down."

The damage suffered by the former executive would therefore be significant, which justifies the lawyer's requests. A recognition of occupational disease has been filed.

" When the new office arrived, he was told “you stop everything”. All his decisions were called into question. His office was even broken into while he was ill. Dismissal for misconduct was a fatal outcome."

The new president wants to carry out a complete audit

On the other side of the bar, the analysis of the situation is very different. For Me Cyril Mateo, "the liabilities between Mr. Busson and his opponents are a smoke screen. Élizabeth Pinquier, the new president, was not there at that time. When she arrives, she asks for the employment contract, management elements, she needs documents that are never given to her. This file is simple: there is confusion between what belongs to the association and what belongs to Mr. Busson, and he does not accept having to be accountable to people who care about the association. money from the association. His warning was sent to him after an Urssaf check. An Audi Q3 company car was used for personal purposes. The association was adjusted by €3,000. His office was forced ? The documents necessary for control belong to the association, even if they are in his office. He had too much work? He had six assistants, and could never respond to the slightest request. The signing of an IT contract with an association made up of Mines students ? It was a company that cashed in. At the time the check is written, the company has not yet been created. The criminal risk is real and we are told that there was no embezzlement of money. There is a management defect which has made us wonder where the association's money goes. Let us not bring up old grievances which have nothing to do with each other.

The council's decision will be rendered on May 24.

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