Security: the Collectivité invites officials of the Manteau

The employees of the Manteau have exercised their right of withdrawal following the assault of the social worker of the association by a user on Sunday, April 30^th. Since then, the association is still closed, employees refusing to work as long as they will not have the assurance to work safely. The individual who assaulted the social worker was arrested on Friday, May 5^th. Earlier this week, the employees waited for proposals from the Collectivité and the Prefecture in response to their requests, namely: to have a security guard as well as to secure the perimeter of the building with gates. While there is no doubt that the security of the building, which is graciously made available to the association by the Collectivité, is the responsibility of the Collectivité, theoretically it is not the same as hiring a security guard. "President Daniel Gibbes and his Vice-President Annick Petrus in charge of the Pôle Solidarité & Familles, have invited the officials of Le Manteau, in the presence of representatives of the State, to a work meeting, which will be held at the hall of the Collectivité on Tuesday, May 16^th, 2017” informed the Collectivité in a press release on the evening of Wednesday, May 10^th. Confirmed a few minutes later in another release, this time from employees of Le Manteau, who also listed their grievances: “The team wishes to be able to return to work as soon as possible, but with good safety conditions:

1. Fence the center to control and regulate the entrances and exits of Le Manteau as we shelter women with their children on the floor. The public we welcome has different characteristics and we can have psychologically unstable people - unemployed - homeless - precariousness - addiction - domestic violence - long-term unemployed - no health coverage - job losses - asylum seekers -illiteracy, etc.
2. We want to have a security guard at the center. The public of the homeless is often in psychological distress. Living in the street is a world apart and users often carry weapons.
3. Bring up to standards Le Manteau's premises, to allow the signing of the agreement. We have chosen to work for this association, but we can no longer work under these conditions. We are all parents and we cannot risk our lives.

Le Manteau is the only center of the island that welcomes women and their children (12 beds) and we also provide a day hospitality for people in difficulties. We also have a day hospitality for women victims of violence, and it is not uncommon that the husband comes here very upset to see his wife, etc. To date, we have 450 registered.

The services we provide are in our sense of social utility:

- Breakfasts (30 per day without counting the hosted)

- Showers - lockers - laundry

- Administrative support

- Clothing donations

- Mail service

- Lunch (50 per day)

- Homework assistance

- Thrift store

- Workshops of reintegration: computer/crochet/ aesthetics/support group/gardening/theatre.