Tisséo strike in Toulouse. What you need to know about the subcontracting of certain lines to understand the discontent
The strike movement of Tisséo agents has been affecting the Toulouse bus network and its metropolitan area for four days now. Announced until Friday, October 8, this movement could continue. At the heart of this social movement: the subcontracting of the public transport network.
According to the unions, negotiations with the management of Tisséo are currently “to the point of death“.”The strike is to last until Friday, October 8. We will see more in the next few hours“explains Frank Delpérier of the FNCR-Tisséo union. At the heart of the discussions: the part of subcontracting within the public transport network.
❗❗Due to a social movement, the Bus network is disrupted. Metro lines A and B and Tram lines T1 and T2 will operate normally on Thursday 7/10.
More details on how our lines work ⤵️ https://t.co/SW1UEGx92D
Thank you for understanding. pic.twitter.com/9YKWl1cKHn
– Tisséo travelers (@infoTisseo) October 6, 2021
31% subcontracting by 2030
“Seven lines supposed to be allocated over the coming years to private companies, detail the union representative. Finally, we managed to get there to be no more than five lines. “
Few users know it, but in 2021, 24% of Tisséo’s regular lines are already provided by private companies. The public transport network of Toulouse and its region wants to increase this figure to 31% by 2030.
The explanation of this evolution is to be found in a report of the Regional Chamber of Accounts of Occitania of 2019. First of all, the financial administrative court noted that during the following years the contribution of local authorities experienced a sharp increase, in particular for Toulouse Métropole. The House encountered before the “strong of chance” which represents “the final cost of the third metro line“. And to underline:”As it stands, this provisional financing plan is not without risks and uncertainties, and must be stabilized.“
Faced with these fears, Tisséo has put forward two measures:
- A decrease in the cost of operating the network. The production cost per kilometer for desserts provided by Tisséo would be twice that of its subcontractors. (4.91 euros / kilometer for Tisséo, 2.25 euros / kilometer by its subcontractors according to Tisséo Collectivités in the report of the Regional Chamber of Accounts). Tisséo hopes for a “productivity improvement” to achieve this.
- Wider management of part of the network by private providers. In a document, below, sent to elected officials of the Metropolis, Tisséo believes that this measure will allow “a total saving of € 35.3 million over the period 2021-2030“.
Tisséo budget sustainability study – May 18, 2021 through France 3 Tarn on Scribd
Same job, different social conditions
The unions’ concern is that in the long term the entire bus network will not be outsourced. “We will only have the metro and the tram“thinks Frank Delpérier. But what also worries the representative of the FNCR-Tisséo are the social conditions of the employees of these private companies:”they have collective agreements different from ours, underlines the trade unionist. Paid at minimum wage, with wider working hours. “Enough to ask questions, in the medium and long term, about the working conditions of Tisséo employees.
There is also the quality of service provided to users. On the Colomiers picket line, we distributed leaflets to drivers of these subcontractors. One of them does not belong to us. He does not speak French. It is not possible
Tisséo agents must vote, this Thursday, October 7, 2021, whether or not to extend their strike movement.
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