Ehpad: the CGT denounces “generalized mistreatment” in Emera establishments

The CGT announces that it has been alerted to “physical violence” and “failures” in several private nursing homes of the Emera group and is calling for a referral to the Igas (General Inspectorate of Social Affairs), in a letter to the government consulted on Saturday. “It appears that the Emera group maintains a system of widespread mistreatment which occurs every day among their (...) residents and (...) employees,” writes the number one of the central Sophie Binet in this letter addressed to the Minister of Solidarity Aurore Bergé, to the Defender of Rights Claire Hédon and to the founder of the group of nursing homes Claude Cheton.

“The first union organization within the group”, the CGT has “been alerted by numerous employees and families of residents of the group of situations of physical and verbal violence, breaches of care and hygiene”, she lists. . “When staff representatives denounce this failing system, putting them in danger just as much as the residents,” continues Sophie Binet, they “are threatened with sanctions and management uses methods of intimidation to silence them.” The CGT asks Aurore Bergé to contact Igas “in order to carry out a mission of control, audit, expertise and evaluation of the Emera group”.

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According to the Bordeaux public prosecutor's office, an investigation targeting a nursing home in Gradignan (Gironde) was opened for "habitual violence against vulnerable people" after a complaint filed against Emera, who denied these accusations and denounced "misinformation". Founded in 1987 by Claude Cheton, the Emera group has 7,000 employees and more than 100 establishments in France and Europe. Its turnover amounted to more than 230 million euros in 2018, just before the repurchase in 2019 of part of its capital by the investment funds Ardian and Naxicap.

Contacted by AFP, the Emera group said it was “not aware of any practice of pressure on staff”, a practice “contrary to the exchange policy advocated by the group.” Concerning the number of complaints filed by families or relatives of residents, the group indicates that, in October, it had recorded five in the last two years. “We express our most sincere condolences for the isolated situations which led in particular to deaths but contest some of the complaints,” adds Emera, assuring that “none of these complaints has given rise at this stage to a conviction or prosecution. cause” of his responsibility.