Infiltrated at Herta: interim, ham flesh

In the Herta factory in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, temporary workers are thrown into the most difficult production units, after express-hygiene training.Only precariousness pushes them to keep a job they hate, between fatigue linked to timetables in "three eight", bodies experienced by the weight of ham and the multiplication of standards.

"You will see, it is mainly a question of filling out documents.The tests are very easy.The employee of the temporary company Randstad had reassured me, the day before my meeting on their premises.But I wouldn’t have thought that integrating the Herta factory in Illkirch-Graffenstaden would go so fast.Thursday, September 9, around 2 p.m., I find myself in a meeting room in the middle of a dozen other candidates.The presentation of the industrial delicatessen company is quickly interrupted.The door opens onto a lady in costume: "There was an error in the room reservations, it must be released in an hour.»»

Présentation accélérée, tests enfantins

Too bad if the reception of future temporary workers usually takes two hours.Our presenter is accelerating, quickly reviewing the basic safety and hygiene standards.Over the past minutes, she is worried about the little time available for end tests: "Do not worry, if you do not finish, I will take into account your forced period."It is first of all to surround situations at risk on a drawing.Childish.Another evaluation concerns the ability to read words accompanied by figures without making a mistake.

Finally, there is a last questionnaire around the standards set out at full speed a few minutes earlier.The images that form the base of the questions are small, printed in black and white, illegible.When candidates wonder out loud, the trainer gives the answers.Before going out, our Randstad referent reminds us of the golden rule to work at Herta: "You must be available.If you are called in the morning, you must be able to work in the afternoon.»»

Une heure pour les vêtements de travail et la formation

The next day, an employee of the Randstad company calls me to ask me: "Are you ready to wear 25 kilos of ham?"I confirm, without really knowing if I am capable of it.Then my interlocutor announces the schedules of my first service at Herta: 1 p.m. - 10 p.m.

On the first day, I receive my work clothes and new express training in hygiene and safety standards.A manager of the reception of temporary workers reviews me the rambards to be held, the plastic gloves that must be changed as soon as we "touch something other than the product", which must be done in casefire ...

The employee of the factory then explains my post to me: "MSP is for paper.You will have to place the ham pools in absorbent paper."I find it hard to understand, but I hear that you have to" start with the highest hams "or" be careful to wear them on the sides, so that they do not break.The session of a quarter of an hour ends with a small oral questionnaire.I feel like I am mistaken at least twice, but the trainer makes me sign the same test as a previous temporary worker.Its name is at the top of the sheet, next to its note 17/17.

« Tu vas aller à la rôtissoire »

Dressed in a t-shirt, pants, a white jacket and surlus.Before going down a metal staircase, I pass a sanitary portico where green lights confirm to me that I was well washed and disinfected the hands.After going along the span and packaging part of the ham, my trainer leaves me in the hands of a team chief.

I quickly understand that you don't need me in MSP.I am indicated the demolding, where hams battles about a meter long should be manually left their metal mold.The young temporary workers then place them on three -level shelves.I try to imitate the workers in front of me ... but the superior is changed."It’s too dangerous to work three like that, you’ll go to roasting.»»

Des pains lourds, à placer haut, une odeur infecte

This is where we receive dismantled ham pools.A young colleague opens the plastic around this slender mass of meat using a dedicated cutter.Then he pushes this kind of giant pink fried on a carpet.I have to seize it to store it in a five -story shelf.The hardest part is to place this meat ground on the highest floor.Without technique, without preparation, we have the breath.Without warning, we also forget to put an apron.I spent almost half an hour wearing agglomerated meat just out of a viscous juice.My clothes are wet on the arms and the top of my body.I will realize when I got home in the evening, the smell that remains on the skin and the t-shirt is infected.

First break, around 4.30 p.m., and first error.I go out with my boots, my pants and my work jacket.As soon as the door is open, a man seated and smoking his cigarette beckons me to come back.Then another specifies: "You have to change!I tell the scene to two other smokers, an hired father and his interim son.It’s his first day too.The paternal laughs at my bullshit, "it's the job that comes home", before deploring: "Even if they could at least show the factory for the first day ..."

Le service le plus dur, où l’on garde du boulot

In the smoke of grilled cigarettes at the break, languages are delighted.Inside, hard to converse with your pair.First there is the vacarm of the machines, attenuated by a few blue plastic earplugs.And then physical effort prevents speaking.Two young workers talk to me about the MSP service "like the worst of the whole factory, with demolding.»»

By their side, a man in his twenties, bearded with brown eyes, confirms: "In MSP, I could not stay more than two weeks, because of a problem that I have in tendon.Now I’m cutting sausages, it's quieter."Beside him, another temporary worker exclaims:" It's clear, the paper is the gulag ... But it's the only way to be sure of having a week.Otherwise, I would stop direct.»»

Mal de dos et médicaments, comme une drogue

The break is quickly finished.The time of a cigarette, two for the biggest smokers.Half an hour of interruption, it is little when you have to go all this way to go out, in addition to changing in front of your locker, sometimes in the middle of a corridor.I am putting my huge yellow boots when a worker goes to my level.It’s one of the oldest.When he does not wear his work jacket, this Herta employee for over five years has a large black belt, with buttons, around the waist.I ask her what she's for.He answers me first with this bonhomie who never leaves him: "It is to explode!»»

Then he explains, more seriously:

« Il faut pas t’en faire, tu vas avoir du boulot »

Here, everyone has a reason to keep this work exhausting.It was a forty -something man who was a scrap metal, until he loses his driving license, therefore his work.This is the case of a young father of barely 29 years old, who raises his daughter alone, and who counts the hours worked until he finds his right to unemployment.Or a young man who is waiting to finally receive his bonus for the six months worked at the factory, rewards the deserves having tried half a year.

When the jobs of next week come out.The temporary workers find themselves several behind the sheet of paper to scrutinize their schedules.They are painted for me when I can't find my name on the board, but reassure me: "You don't have to do it, if you continue like that, you are going to have a job", "don't worry, they goCalling you ... "Or" The best to do is go directly to Randstad, to tell them that you want work.»»

« Ne t’oppose jamais à un chef »

For fear of not having work, or losing it, the workers of Herta allow themselves no deviation from the hierarchy.In the MSP service, as at the sorting of meat just delivered, employees never leave the factory before the time.On Friday, when the whole stock of meat was sorted and the service ends at 1 p.m., I hear a colleague who holds me back: "It is 12:45 pm.It's been a bit early to sign at the office, especially since the head of the is there.Similarly, when you finish its service at 10 p.m., no one appears at the Pointeuse at 9:59 p.m.

In the factory, there are two attitudes with the rules.When a chef is highlighted, they are respected: disinfect each new shelf filled with meats, as well as his workstation and his hands;Do not drive or even touch, a throat without authorization.But all these obligations and prohibitions fall when the hierarchical superior is not there, that is to say very early in the morning, or very late in the evening.

The fear of the chief continues beyond the walls.At the entrance to the building, where smokers pass their break, the passage of a white collar always arouses a polished "hello" opposite.Once entered, hierarchical superiors and other employees sometimes cause distrust: "You have to be wary of the types in costume", slips an temporary worker, "they can denounce you for nothing, like you are not two meters awayof me.Another colleague also warns me: "Never oppose a chef, even if it is you who are right, at the end, they can turn you.»»

Un intérimaire : « On est pris pour des chiens »

Convinced that temporary workers will accept the job at all costs, the temporary company sometimes deals with these temporary workers with little regard.Randstad allows himself not to warn when a worker is registered on Herta's schedule.During my second day, during a short break in the ham supply, I discovered by chance in the middle of the afternoon that I am supposed to work the next day and on the next day.No one warned me.Not a call from the temporary box or Herta.

I'm talking about a few workers about it during a break.They are not surprised.One of them tells me another disappointment, much more uncomfortable:

Last day at Herta's, on Monday, I spend a surlk to lingerie.The lady who works there is a good guidance.For each worker, she has a sweet word, "my rabbit", "my beautiful".By knocking on his door shortly after 6 am, I am surprised to have always crossed it, no matter what time I worked (6 a.m.-2 p.m. or 2 pm): "You never stop?She nods, adding that she sometimes works "volunteering".I then wish her to have a quiet day, but she feels a stressful day: "Even today, we receive lots of new temporary workers ..."