The organizations are indignant at a modification made by decree, which in their eyes undermines the “employee safety” of the sector.
This is a change that went unnoticed, but which arouses the anger of fund carriers. In early November, a decree published in the Official Journal “laying down various provisions relating to internal securitycame to change the rules governing the transportation of cash. The latter, signed by Gérald Darmanin and Élisabeth Borne, is experienced as a “treasonby representatives of the sector, who threaten to mobilize during the end-of-year celebrations.
The transport of funds is strictly regulated by law. The Homeland Security Code thus provides that currency such as the “fiduciary paper intended for printing banknotescan only be moved under certain conditions. For example, you need an armored vehicle with “a crew of at least three people, including the driver“, provide the texts.
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In some cases, it is also possible to transport the funds in unmarked vehicles, “with a crew of at least two peoplewho are dressed in civilian clothes and cannot carry a weapon. These light vehicles can even be driven by only one person when “the total amount of funds transportedis less than 30,000 euros. Enough to streamline journeys to small ordering parties, such as stores or ATMs.
However, the decree came to modify this last sum, which was almost tripled, to 80,000 euros. What worry the representatives of the employees of the sector. On the background, “what about the safety of employees, the hardship, and the social risks that will inevitably come“, alarmed the inter-union CFDT-CGT-FO-CFTC, in a joint press release, this Tuesday. On the form, the organizations are irritated by the “times-face” and some “treasonfrom the Minister of the Interior, emphasizing that they had obtainedthe guarantee that no security text would be modified without consultation between the various players in the sector».
Increased risks for unions
Regulations “had been negotiated inch by inch with Nicolas Sarkozy“during his visit to Beauvau, recalls Pascal Quiroga, national coordinator Cash and value transport for the CFDT. If the employers’ organizations wanted to increase the sum, “the representatives of the Ministry of the Interior indicated that no regulations would be changed without consultation. And there, boom, the decree came out“, chokes the trade unionist.
A single person, without a weapon, risks attracting more covetousness with 80,000 euros, despite the presence of a secure briefcase, underlines Pascal Quiroga: “The attacks declined, as the amounts were minimal. But from the moment the ceiling is reassessed at 80,000 euros, there may be many more temptations“, he worries. In addition, the trade union organizations point the finger at the “arduousness” increased in the profession, and the “social risks» for the workers: «Out of three light vehicles that we sent with 30,000 euros each, we will only have one with 80,000, so we are going to cut jobs in the profession. All with a risk multiplied by three“, sighs Gilles Riquet, delegate of a union organization.
Optimization of resources
Contacted, the Ministry of the Interior has not yet returned to us. For his part, the secretary general of the employers’ organization USP Valeurs, Jean-Marc Rivera, accepts this request, which should in particular make it possible to “limit journeysby increasing the amount that can be taken away. Enough to reduce the sector’s carbon emissions and optimize transport. In addition, “the provisions date from 1983and needed to be updated, underlines the general secretary of the employers’ organization:With inflation, 30,000 euros at the time is not quite the same thing, and is worth around 80,000 euros today.».
The conditions for transporting funds are now much more secure, making it possible to limit the risks as much as possible, adds Jean-Marc Rivera. “The ministry has done its work of legal study, security“, and validated this request, points out the representative, who recalls that 10% of the workforce today works with light vehicles and ensures that this measure will not lead to job cuts: “This will have no effect on other transport types“, like that by armored vehicles, he insists, defending a modification which responds above all to a concern “to optimize» trips.
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Not enough to reassure employee representatives. “A minima“, the inter-union therefore asks to be received by the teams of Gérald Darmanin, to put in place the national advisory commission for the security of cash transport. “The Minister will have to movefor the sector, which is losing its attractiveness, warns Pascal Quiroga. Otherwise, the trade unions say they are ready to mobilize “during the holiday season […] to be heard and understood».
«The only profession, today, which could block the country more than the SNCF, is the transport of funds“, grumbles Gilles Riquet. “Cash-in-transit companies maintain ATMs. And we can not pick up recipes in hypermarkets, department stores“Adds the representative of the CFDT. Something to seriously disrupt Christmas shopping…
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