This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/world/europe/paris-looks-to-dispatch-keepers-of-a-different-throne.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Paris Looks to Depose Keepers of a Different Throne Paris Looks to Depose Keepers of a Different Throne
(about 11 hours later)
PARIS — “Dames pipi,” as the ladies who clean public toilets here are known, have been a fixture of Parisian neighborhoods, alongside the proprietors of corner cafes, since the days when many buildings lacked indoor plumbing. PARIS — “Dames pipi,” as the ladies who clean public toilets here are known, have been a fixture of Parisian neighborhoods, alongside the proprietors of corner cafes, since the days when many buildings lacked indoor plumbing.
Such was their prominence that, as the French essayist Claude Lussac notes, one dame pipi became the subject of a brief character sketch in Marcel Proust’s sprawling novel “Remembrance of Things Past.” Mr. Lussac recalled Proust’s character as comporting herself in her toilet like “a marquise in her salon, opening the little stalls and speaking with the customers, who shared confidences with her.”Such was their prominence that, as the French essayist Claude Lussac notes, one dame pipi became the subject of a brief character sketch in Marcel Proust’s sprawling novel “Remembrance of Things Past.” Mr. Lussac recalled Proust’s character as comporting herself in her toilet like “a marquise in her salon, opening the little stalls and speaking with the customers, who shared confidences with her.”
But as the number of “chalets de nécessité,” as the public toilets were quaintly called, have dwindled, so, too, has the presence of the ladies, who now teeter on the verge of extinction.But as the number of “chalets de nécessité,” as the public toilets were quaintly called, have dwindled, so, too, has the presence of the ladies, who now teeter on the verge of extinction.
Today, the dames pipi number barely a dozen, mostly older women who are first-generation immigrants from places like Guinea, Togo and Vietnam. And, unless they win a lawsuit to give them back their jobs, they will be a casualty of the city’s new effort to turn the remaining public bathrooms into moneymaking ventures.Today, the dames pipi number barely a dozen, mostly older women who are first-generation immigrants from places like Guinea, Togo and Vietnam. And, unless they win a lawsuit to give them back their jobs, they will be a casualty of the city’s new effort to turn the remaining public bathrooms into moneymaking ventures.
“This is the end of the story, the end of an era,” said Mr. Lussac, who has done extensive research and written on the history of public bathrooms.“This is the end of the story, the end of an era,” said Mr. Lussac, who has done extensive research and written on the history of public bathrooms.
This summer, the city government contracted with the French subsidiary of an upscale toilet company based in the Netherlands with the catchy name 2theloo. The latter operates spiffy, clean pay toilets at a number of places around Europe including Covent Garden in London. Its French subsidiary, named Sarivo, goes one step further and purports to offer “luxury toilets” that also sell items like toilet paper printed with images of the Eiffel Tower.This summer, the city government contracted with the French subsidiary of an upscale toilet company based in the Netherlands with the catchy name 2theloo. The latter operates spiffy, clean pay toilets at a number of places around Europe including Covent Garden in London. Its French subsidiary, named Sarivo, goes one step further and purports to offer “luxury toilets” that also sell items like toilet paper printed with images of the Eiffel Tower.
The ladies who once tended the free public toilets have not been given jobs in the revamped lavatories, but they argue that cleaning toilets is the same job whether done in fancy new surroundings or older, more decrepit ones. A decision by the French labor courts is expected on Tuesday.The ladies who once tended the free public toilets have not been given jobs in the revamped lavatories, but they argue that cleaning toilets is the same job whether done in fancy new surroundings or older, more decrepit ones. A decision by the French labor courts is expected on Tuesday.
“The work was hard, but it was my job” said Pham Tai Doa, 65, who has worked as a dame pipi for 15 of the 25 years since she arrived in France from Vietnam. “I don’t want to have to ask for public handouts.”“The work was hard, but it was my job” said Pham Tai Doa, 65, who has worked as a dame pipi for 15 of the 25 years since she arrived in France from Vietnam. “I don’t want to have to ask for public handouts.”
With her comrades, Ms. Doa now spends part of every day at a protest that more often resembles a wake, a few feet from the now-shuttered toilet she once cleaned at the foot of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica that sits atop the Montmartre neighborhood.With her comrades, Ms. Doa now spends part of every day at a protest that more often resembles a wake, a few feet from the now-shuttered toilet she once cleaned at the foot of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica that sits atop the Montmartre neighborhood.
Several of the women are the sole supporters of their families. They have lived hand-to-mouth on their low pay and occasional tips, they said, and have little if any retirement savings.Several of the women are the sole supporters of their families. They have lived hand-to-mouth on their low pay and occasional tips, they said, and have little if any retirement savings.
The Disneyfication of the city’s remaining public toilets represents a rather ignominious end to a long tradition of mostly free lavatories that just three decades ago numbered more than two dozen in Paris.The Disneyfication of the city’s remaining public toilets represents a rather ignominious end to a long tradition of mostly free lavatories that just three decades ago numbered more than two dozen in Paris.
The mayor’s office has periodically asked users to pay, but in most eras there was no charge. However, seeing an opportunity not only to cut costs but also to make some money, the city signed its contract with Sarivo.The mayor’s office has periodically asked users to pay, but in most eras there was no charge. However, seeing an opportunity not only to cut costs but also to make some money, the city signed its contract with Sarivo.
According to Sarivo’s lawyer, Paul Coeffard, the ladies did not have the qualifications necessary to care for the upgraded public toilets. According to Sarivo’s lawyer, Paul Coeffard, the ladies do not have the qualifications necessary to care for the upgraded public toilets.
While acknowledging that their employees must “clean after each visit,” Mr. Coeffard said, “The people who work for us are not cleaners.”While acknowledging that their employees must “clean after each visit,” Mr. Coeffard said, “The people who work for us are not cleaners.”
They are rather “salespeople who must be up on the rules of French elegance and also the rules of elegance for foreign clients so that they feel welcome.”They are rather “salespeople who must be up on the rules of French elegance and also the rules of elegance for foreign clients so that they feel welcome.”
“These are people who must be able to exchange a few words of Arabic, for example, welcoming a sultan of Oman and a sultan of Saudi Arabia,” he explained.“These are people who must be able to exchange a few words of Arabic, for example, welcoming a sultan of Oman and a sultan of Saudi Arabia,” he explained.
“They have to be able to sell very expensive products,” Mr. Coeffard continued, “so there’s also a commercial quality because they must be able to explain to the customers, to counsel them in their choices.”“They have to be able to sell very expensive products,” Mr. Coeffard continued, “so there’s also a commercial quality because they must be able to explain to the customers, to counsel them in their choices.”
The dames pipi, however, say they believe they are being pushed out not because they lack the skill to greet the sultan of Oman, but because they are older women, unglamorous and belong to a union, several said. The dames pipi, however, say they believe they are being pushed out not because they lack the skill to greet the sultan of Oman, but because they are older women, are unglamorous and belong to a union, several said.
With the help of their union, Force Ouvrière, or Workers’ Force, they are suing for two months’ back pay — the time since they were notified they had been let go — and the reinstatement of their jobs. With the help of their union, Force Ouvrière, they are suing for two months’ back pay — the time since they were notified they had been let go — and the reinstatement of their jobs.
The redone toilets — there are already at least three in operation — are more toilet boutiques than simply a place to quickly relieve oneself. The ones that have opened near the Louvre, which also sell toilet paper in neon orange and fuchsia colors, cost 1.50 euros, or about $1.70 for each use, which comes to almost $7 for a family of four. The redone toilets —at least three are already in operation — are more toilet boutiques than simply a place to quickly relieve oneself. The ones that have opened near the Louvre, which also sell toilet paper in neon orange and fuchsia colors, cost 1.50 euros, or about $1.70 for each use, which comes to almost $7 for a family of four.
Parisian public toilets extend back to the late 19th century, a time when disease and ghastly smells were rife because most buildings lacked even faintly adequate plumbing, according to a social history of French toilets by Roger-Henri Guerrand. A typical residence for Paris workers in that era might have had one toilet for 60 people, creating a stench that permeated every room in the building, according to Mr. Guerrand’s study.Parisian public toilets extend back to the late 19th century, a time when disease and ghastly smells were rife because most buildings lacked even faintly adequate plumbing, according to a social history of French toilets by Roger-Henri Guerrand. A typical residence for Paris workers in that era might have had one toilet for 60 people, creating a stench that permeated every room in the building, according to Mr. Guerrand’s study.
In more recent decades, however, the number of free public toilets dwindled to the point that there were only a few left, in heavily touristed areas. Most neighborhoods today are served instead by the more prosaic, gray self-cleaning toilet booths (there are about 400 of them). In more recent decades, however, the number of free public toilets dwindled to the point that there were only a few left, in areas with heavy tourism. Most neighborhoods today are served instead by the more prosaic, gray self-cleaning toilet booths (there are about 400 of them).
However, the handful of toilet “chalets” that remained until this year, although indisputably in poor repair, recalled a more communal era in Paris. It was that sense of connection to place that at least some of the remaining dames pipi said they loved about their job.However, the handful of toilet “chalets” that remained until this year, although indisputably in poor repair, recalled a more communal era in Paris. It was that sense of connection to place that at least some of the remaining dames pipi said they loved about their job.
“There were the regulars, who were nice with us, who knew us,” said Gabrielle Adams, a Togolese cleaner who worked for 29 years in the Paris toilets and most recently was posted in Montmartre.“There were the regulars, who were nice with us, who knew us,” said Gabrielle Adams, a Togolese cleaner who worked for 29 years in the Paris toilets and most recently was posted in Montmartre.
Tears came to her eyes as she recalled her years of work and how much she had loved her post at the Church of the Madeleine before those toilets were closed in 2011.Tears came to her eyes as she recalled her years of work and how much she had loved her post at the Church of the Madeleine before those toilets were closed in 2011.
“They were the most beautiful toilets of Paris and very old,” she said.“They were the most beautiful toilets of Paris and very old,” she said.
“The mosaics, Art Deco, the windows, it was all so beautiful,” she recalled. “The tourists would come and they would not leave without photographing it.”“The mosaics, Art Deco, the windows, it was all so beautiful,” she recalled. “The tourists would come and they would not leave without photographing it.”