Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Ski resorts. The seasonal workers also waiting for the snow – West-France

In the absence of slips in the powder, the ski resorts have to compete with ideas to occupy the holiday makers. Since the start of the season patina. And the seasonal workers waiting to start work.

In the Jura, this week, we could have a picnic in the sun and, in the Ariège, working outside in a t-shirt. The mountaineers are formal. The early winter is very mild. A lot of sun, too, because the snow does not fall or has already melted.

The situation is particularly complicated in the Massif central, the Vosges, the Jura, Isère, Haute-Savoie below 2 500 metres, and some corners of the Pyrenees. Anthony Fatiga, a trade union delegate CGT for lifts alert : 30 to 40 % of the seasonal workers on the Savoie, the Haute-Savoie and Isère are not hired then they would have had to be on the 19 December, the first day of the holiday.

The union demands that the procedure to partial to be triggered everywhere. This device relates to a company which should cease the activity for exceptional circumstances, independent of his will. This is what we used to call the technical unemployment. The State pays the aid to the employees (around 7 € per hour) and the company complete the remaining balance to reach the amount of the Minimum wage.

active Stations partial

Pierre-Yves Manfredi, chargé de mission to the ski Areas of France, ” the application of the CGT is legitimate. But the companies that do not cash flow these days can’t afford to hire, even with an hourly rate of around 2 € to pay. “

According to him, there are no fewer hires this year. ” They are simply deferred, depending on the condition of the sites. “The collective agreement for seasonal workers does, in fact, a special provision, in addition to the priority hiring of former new.

A contract when it is renewed from one season to another, must specify the expected date of putting into operation, that is to say, the start of the season, and the hire date of the person. This date may be postponed if the weather conditions do not ultimately open activity.

” It was supposed to start on December 17, “

Ax-les-Thermes, in the Pyrenees ariégeoises, 6 tracks 37 are open. The other two stations managed by the company Savasem, Ascou-Pailhères and the Monts d’olmes, are closed. the 54 seasonal are waiting to be hired, or nearly half of the employees “ indicates the spokesperson of the company.

Damien, 39 years old, is one of them. He worked in the maintenance of the premises of the ski lifts and repairs small equipment in the garage of the resort of Ascou. It was supposed to start on December 17. If the snow hasn’t fallen until January 3rd, they will have to put us in the activity partial.

the rest of The year, it opens up the mountain paths and pastures, which allows him to take the shot. the ” I’m a seasonal local. I’m aware of having a bit more luck than those who come on purpose for the season. The people here are organizing themselves, they know that it is weather dependent and that it can be hard. “

30 % loss of sales

the Other massive, same situation. In Valmorel, savoie region station at an altitude of 1320 metres, only 20 % of the ski area is open. The directorate has already placed its entire team in activity, partial, or 177 people. the ” I make sure that the distribution of days worked is fair. I don’t make any distinction between the permanent and the seasonal “ explains Antoine Bellet, director of the station. Sixteen other seasonal workers were to be hired on the 19th of December. the ” But we have deferred their hiring on 2 January. “

The time is not yet to the point of concern for him. the ” It is our job to offer people what relax. Then, while waiting for the snow, it is diversifying with paragliding, hiking and cycling. “

further South, Eric Foucrier, director of the resort of Albiez-Montrond, he is more alarmist. the ” The situation is dramatic. This is the third year in a row that the start of the season is complicated. “ About 50 people from the team, 80 % is in the activity partial.

Even if we do a good month of February and we have snow until the spring, the month of December is crucial for the accounting of the calendar year. For 2016, the station will be in deficit, with a loss of 30 % of turnover. the ” It is very hard, maybe there will be some important decisions to make. “

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