The RATP bangs its fist on the table. The Parisian transport authority could dismiss “around thirty” bus drivers who took advantage of sick leave to work as VTC drivers, its CEO Jean Castex said on Wednesday, denouncing a level of absenteeism that is still too high in the company. A little later in the day, the RATP clarified that a disciplinary procedure was initiated against these employees, without a decision on their dismissal having yet been taken.
“It’s a subject that motivates us a lot,” insisted Jean Castex, during a meeting with journalists. “We have increased our controls very, very significantly”, in particular to identify those who “favor another activity to that of the RATP by taking sick leave”, indicated Jean Castex, confirming information from RMC/BFM TV.
“I received the general director of the CNAM (National Health Insurance Fund) so that they could tell us the names of the doctors who prescribe a lot,” he continued. RATP “has chosen to refuse its agents to combine their employment with a VTC activity for security reasons,” the Régie also indicated in a press release.
She motivated this decision by a concern for safety, because “it would be impossible to ensure maximum daily driving times for both activities as well as daily and weekly rest periods”. However, it is impossible for the RATP to know whether a bus driver also works as a VTC driver if the latter does not report it. In the event of dual activity, even without sick leave, the company reserves the right to open disciplinary proceedings against the employee, she specified.
Jean Castex also returned to the level of absenteeism which he considers to still be too high, with the consequence of a deterioration of service for users. “The idea is to return to the pre-Covid level of absenteeism. I never said zero absenteeism, but we still have to control all that,” stressed the former prime minister.
The boss of the public transport group welcomed the success of the recent recruitment campaign within the entire company with 2,000 employees hired – out of a target of 5,300 in 2024. “The resignations are higher than they were. were before Covid but they are returning to a more or less suitable low level,” he added. But “the real subject is absenteeism, whatever the reasons,” he declared, insisting on the need to rely on unions to resolve the problem. “When there are a lot of absentees, the work falls on those who are there. So there is an aspect (of) justice too,” said Jean Castex.
