A ” audit mission “ on the functioning of the government information service (SIG), responsible for monitoring opinion and organizing government communication, placed under the supervision of Matignon, will be launched, announced the cabinet of Jean Castex, Friday July 16 . The mission will be entrusted “To an external and independent firm, specialized in questions of quality of life at work”, Matignon told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
This decision follows the publication in The world an investigation reporting on the management judged “Brutal” by several former collaborators. Paranoia, coming to the office positive for the coronavirus, very militant approach to his post, regular humiliations in meetings … many are the grievances listed by seventeen witnesses – all anonymous for fear of reprisals – at the World.
Matignon says there was no alert
The Prime Minister’s Office claims to have been “Alerted by an article from World on allegations of inappropriate labor relations within the SIG ”, in this case concerning its director Michaël Nathan and his assistant Julie Chiret-Cannesan, but that no “Information or alert of any kind had not been reported up to now on the functioning of this service”.
“The alleged facts must be taken very seriously. Strict respect for the values attached to human and professional relations must indeed prevail in all circumstances ”, underlines for its part the office of the Prime Minister. However, while awaiting the conclusions of the audit, expected in September, it retains “His confidence in the management of SIG, whose quality of work in recent months must be underlined”.
“Strong with the weak, weak with the strong”
Alert attempts have nevertheless taken place, explain several employees at the World. “We can hardly count on the usual safeguards: the staff representatives crash and when we talk about it to occupational medicine or to people from the DSAF [direction des services administratifs et financiers], they answer us: “We know, but we can’t do anything.” “
“There is a real subject of brutality”, Mr. Nathan “Broke the house”, confided to AFP, like other people questioned, a former collaborator of the SIG. A former collaborator talks about “Constant humiliations” from a man “Strong with the weak and weak with the strong”.
Michaël Nathan refuted to the World accusations and describes himself as “A demanding but fair director”. “I listen to the opinions of my employees, I share my vision and my questions, with confidence and frankness, he adds. (…) If there could have been frank discussions and sometimes divergences of points of view, I reject any brutal management method ”, he told the newspaper. Her assistant, accused of isolating Michaël Nathan and of “Feed your paranoia”, believes that its roadmap, namely structuring the exchanges between the director and his teams, could be “Interpreted as a way of limiting spontaneity between him and his collaborators”.