Sanitary pass in Bordeaux: “A disaffection among the young clientele who are starting to get fed up with being… – 20 Minutes

Umih (Union of hotel trades and industries) of the
Gironde will test from this week, a
bracelets device for loyal customers of certain bars and restaurants, which will allow them to no longer present their health pass “ten times a day.” “Some of these bracelets were received this Wednesday in Bordeaux. 20 minutes met the president of Umih 33, Laurent Tournier, who discusses this system and discusses the consequences of the crisis and the future of the profession.

How many bracelets did you receive this Wednesday?

We have received 5,000, we will have 3,000 more this weekend and 15,000 next week. They are intended for our loyal customers, who will no longer have to present their health pass in the same establishment. But this does not replace the pass, in the event of a police check the person must be able to present a valid document.

These bracelets are also signed “Umih 33” to avoid any counterfeiting …

Absoutely. We will even ask restaurateurs to affix the first letters of their establishment and the municipality, to clearly identify the place where this bracelet was given, in the event of an inspection. Afterwards, it’s up to us to be serious in distributing these bracelets, which will only be given to voluntary clients, vaccinated with two doses, and whose identity has been verified.

Concretely, how will the distribution of these bracelets go to customers?

The restaurateur knows his regulars, and he will ask them. If some customers spontaneously come to us, we will also provide them. But we only have a little more than 20,000, for 200 establishments that have come forward, or about a hundred per restaurant. The list of these establishments, which are mainly located in Bordeaux, Arcachon, Lège-Cap-Ferret, Montalivet, has been communicated to the prefecture.

Conversely, are some establishments hostile to this initiative?

I do not hide from you that we are treated, at the margins, of “sold” or “collaborator”, and that I receive messages from professionals accusing us of “playing the game of authority” and that this is not the case. it is not for us to do that… Me, I continue to say that the pass for the terraces is nonsense, for the rest, we must move forward because we need to rework.

Since the extension of the health pass to restaurants on August 9, what are the feedback from professionals?

It is complicated. Not in the use of the pass, even if customers have to wait a little at the entrance, but the young customers who are less vaccinated are starting to get fed up with being tested every 72 hours, and there is a certain disaffection. There is thus between – 10% and – 15% of attendance on average, with sometimes – 30% to – 40% for certain establishments which welcome young audiences. The situation is starting to get heavy, even if we have been well helped with partial unemployment and the solidarity fund, it must be admitted. But we no longer want to be helped, we want to work.

At the very beginning of the pandemic, some announced that 30 to 40% of restaurants risked closing their doors permanently, we will not ultimately be on such a large proportion?

No, because there was the establishment of the solidarity fund which allowed almost everyone to get out of the economic problem, even if some establishments had nothing due to their legal form. But it will be necessary to monitor closely the evolution of the situation, between the aid which will stop at the end of August, and the beginning of the repayment of the PGE (Loans guaranteed by the State), which are a additional charge. And this happens when we encounter a real problem of staffing. However, in order to grow, we need a workforce.

What is the situation in Gironde in relation to this lack of staff?

Some establishments on the coast closed this summer because they had no employees. It’s on the fringes, but it had never happened before. The question of personnel was an issue that existed before the pandemic, but the
Covid amplified it. With three months, then seven months of closure, several of our employees, even if they were on short-time working up to 86%, had to look in other sectors, and they do not return to catering, for various reasons. The same goes for our apprentices who could no longer work on a work-study program with us, and who have gone elsewhere … Today there is a lot of people missing, and this is unlikely to get better if tomorrow our staff is forced to get vaccinated.

At the same time, perhaps this is the time for the profession to question the working conditions of staff?

We will indeed have to revalue our jobs, salaries and schedules. Reflection is already underway, in particular to retain our quality staff and continue to attract others. But we don’t have much financial leeway either.