The trade body of staffing companies in France has accused African migrant workers of deceiving staffing companies by using documents that are not their own.  

The comments by François Roux, delegate general of Prism’emploi (Professionnels du recrutement et de l’interim), which he made to a French news agency, come after more than two weeks of protest by groups of migrants mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa. 

The protests have seen groups of migrant workers occupy the offices of a number of recruiters in France, including Adecco, Randstad and Manpower. The three companies have told Recruiter that they stand behind Roux’s comments, which they say represent their views. 

According to French newspaper Le Figaro, confirmed by the industry trade body, migrant workers occupied an Adecco office in Paris on Monday [22 June], the fourth such occupation by the group in 12 days. This followed similar occupations at branches of Randstad and Adecco in Poissy, and at the offices of Manpower Group in Les Mureaux. Both towns are located in the suburbs of Paris.

The workers are demanding that recruitment agencies provide them with a certificate of concordance (déclaration de concordance d'identité), a document which confirms all the work was carried out by the same individual and without which they find it very difficult to have their immigration status in France regularised. 

However, staffing companies are reluctant to do so, claiming that many of the payslips being provided by migrant workers to prove their employment history are other workers’ payslips and not their own. 

In comments made to the French AFP press agency on Monday, Roux accused so-called ‘undocumented’ migrant workers of deceiving staffing companies by “usurping identities”. “The need to provide payslips has complicated the creation of records for the illegal workers,” Roux added. 

In further remarks contained in Monday’s press release, he went on to say that beyond these cases of “theft”, staffing companies would be prepared to consider issuing certificates of concordance, but only under a specific government circular that relaxes the rules for regularisation of parents of school children. 

Recruiter contacted Prism’emploi, who confirmed that Roux stands by his comments.

The workers are acting with the support of the General Confederation of Labour union (CGT – Confédération générale du travail), which represents some of the undocumented workers. CGT is calling on the staffing agencies to provide the workers with the necessary documents to prove their employment history. Recruiter contacted CGT, but they had not responded as we went to press

• Want to comment on this story? The Comment box is at the bottom of the page. Sorry for the glitch but just scroll right down and share your opinions!