Christian Estrosi unveiled a series of measures last week aimed at adapting Nice’s public services to current lifestyles. The mayor highlights a unified portal, the opening of five public service centers, extended hours, enhanced childcare options, and expanded reception capacities. The CGT NMCA responded immediately. The union criticizes these as electoral announcements that, in their view, risk directly impacting the working conditions of public service employees.
The municipal campaign places public services at the center of the debate. Christian Estrosi presented ten measures aimed at adapting municipal services to current lifestyles. The program highlights a unique digital portal, five public service centers, extended hours, enhanced early childhood services, Saturday childcare options, an “emergency nanny” system, a new plan for creating nursery places, doubling a municipal allowance, a leisure center per school, and extended opening of the Louis-Nucéra library.
The CGT NMCA reacted to these announcements. The union released a statement expressing their “astonishment” at several projects made public by candidates as part of the campaign. They mention announcements regarding extended evening and weekend hours, the creation of additional nursery and leisure center places, and the development of new public service mechanisms. The union points out that these directions imply changes in work organization and work schedules.
The program presented by Christian Estrosi is based primarily on a unified portal. This tool will consolidate all municipal procedures with a single account. Civil status procedures, nursery enrollments, sports or cultural activities, and bookings should be continuously accessible. The campaign document announces its online launch by July 1st, with artificial intelligence complementing the system.
The incumbent mayor also highlights a network of five public service centers. Two structures are already welcoming users. A third is set to open in Magnan. Two more are planned for the Var plain and Nice-North. These locations consolidate several administrative procedures. The incumbent mayor stated that the first two centers have received 20,000 users in six months for one, and 5,000 since October for the other.
The CGT NMCA reminds us that these announcements come “even as we denounce the lack of resources and recruitment in these services, for many years now.” The union emphasizes a context of persistent understaffing and tensions in several services leading to successive reorganizations.
Expanded hours, early childhood, and leisure: the points of friction
Hours are another aspect of the municipal program. Satellite town halls and public service centers are to open one evening a week until 8 PM and on Saturday morning. Nurseries and school daycares are to close at 7 PM. The campaign document also mentions complete Saturday offerings for drop-in nurseries, toy libraries, and leisure centers.
The CGT NMCA responds to these announcements. The statement asserts that “promoting notions such as ‘volunteering’ or ‘public service adaptation’ cannot constitute sufficient guarantees.” The union warns of “a real risk of forced flexibility and degradation of working conditions.” The text highlights that these projects “would directly impact the professional and personal lives of employees, their health, and the conditions under which they perform their tasks.”
The municipal program also includes an “emergency nanny” system. The campaign document notes that this service would be available in a few hours in case of an emergency. A new plan for creating 1,500 nursery places aims to accompany the arrival of new families. The compensatory municipal allowance is set to be doubled and raised to 400 euros per month.
The CGT NMCA emphasizes that “the working conditions of employees cannot be instrumentalized for electoral purposes, nor can they be an adjustment variable.” The union claims to remain mobilized to defend employee rights and a public service “that respects those who make it possible.”
Thus, the debate is established between a municipal program structured around adapting to lifestyles and a union response focused on working conditions. It should be noted that these are campaign proposals and that discussions must be held to perfect the feasibility of the project.
