A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #346 - Antipatriarchy, Antivalidism: ESAT, pretenses and real exploitation (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

After the December issue of AL which focused on anti-disabled struggles, 
we continue to look at the oppression suffered by disabled people. At 
the heart of the subject this month, the exploitation of workers in 
"work support establishments and services" (ESAT). ---- A recent decree 
finally gives disabled ESAT workers the right to unionization and 
collective representation. This progress allows France to give 
assurances to the UN, which has condemned it several times for the 
flagrant violations of respect for people that this institution produces.

If this law brings some progress (new labor rights), much more will be 
needed to modify existing social relations within ESATs. Indeed, the 
ESAT is an institution that is both involved in the relationships 
between the medico-social world and those of the world of work. This 
results in disabled workers having access to certain services on their 
work site (for example, training on administrative tasks).

However, the "work" part is almost completely hidden by the institution. 
The most visible symptom is that workers are considered simple users.

It's difficult to describe the extent to which this simple word is a 
source of alienation and frustration for many workers because it shapes 
their relationship to work and implies that they are receiving a service.

Can you imagine doing a job and seeing it denied by the institution that 
asks you to do it?

There is a lot of talk about suffering within bullshit jobs: how can we 
describe necessary work, which is passed off as a simple pastime granted 
to you?

Workers told me they had already asked for a pay increase. Remember that 
their salary is well below the minimum wage and cannot exceed it! 
Management refused them this increase on the grounds that it would lead 
to a reduction in their Disabled Adult Allowance which supplements their 
income.

The excuse is true but reveals the paternalism of the institution, 
gently explaining to you that your work has no value.

Users without pay
However, it does generate significant added value. A significant portion 
of ESATs specialize in industrial subcontracting for tasks deemed too 
repetitive or difficult, which local companies prefer to pass on to 
disabled people. This subcontracting even allows them to pass the 5% 
threshold for the employment obligation for disabled workers (OTEH) in 
companies. Why then would companies make an effort to employ disabled 
people if they can benefit from their work for not even half a salary in 
structures subsidized by the ARS?

To conclude, let us remember that for many ESAT workers, work in an 
ordinary environment constitutes the Holy Grail. The work ethic of our 
society makes them understand that this would be the only way to prove 
their complete worth as an individual. But "the social elevator" is 
sabotaged at the start because no company has any interest in these 
hires. Their status, their salary and the recognition of society must be 
acquired through struggle. The strategy of the State and Capital is 
precisely to keep these people isolated, it is therefore important that 
unions and anti-validist associations look towards the workers and their 
aspirations because, like everywhere, solidarity is our weapon .

Corentin (UCL Kreiz-Brezh)

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Antivalidisme-ESAT-faux-semblants-et-veritable-exploitation
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