How negotiations, presented as “without totem or taboo”, have narrowed over the consultation

Will the mountain give birth to a mouse? The “conclave” on pensions ends, Tuesday, June 17, after four months of negotiations carried out by five participants: the MEDEF and the CPME on the employers side, the CFDT, the CFTC and the CFE-CGC for employee representatives. Final discussions should still extend “Until late in the evening”, entrust Franceinfo the various actors in these negotiations. Until the last minute, cHacun hopes to be able to obtain concessions, To provide adjustments to the boundary reform on pensions of 2023, and find a tracking track for the deficit of the pensions system.

If no agreement is reached, no final text will lead to these extraordinary negotiations. To avoid the worst scenario and promote a compromise, François Bayrou offered the social partners on Monday the implementation of a “prime” for senior employees who “Decide to stay at work”by paying them “A part of (their) retirement in addition to (their) salary”.

“Whether there is a text signed or not at the end, in any case, it will be a failure”, Anticipates the CGT, by the voice of its confederal secretary, Catherine Perret, interviewed by Franceinfo. The representative only stayed three weeks around the negotiating table, before the CGT decided to leave the “conclave” with a crash on March 19. Before her, Force Ouvrière had already slammed the door, from the first day of the discussions, on February 27. Catherine Perret, who nevertheless observed with the evolution of discussions after her departure, does not express any regret. “This negotiation is a smoking. In this discussion, whenever small advances have been obtained, it has resulted in declines for other categories of employees “, estimates the trade unionist, who criticizeses “”ineffective measures “.

The initiative, launched in mid-January by François Bayrou wanted to be ambitious. It was to respond to the months of popular contestation of the pension reform, finally promulgated and entered into force in September 2023, while allowing the Prime Minister, without majority in the Assembly, to escape a motion of censorship by obtaining a stay of the Socialist Party. François Bayrou then promised a quarter of negotiations “Without any totem or taboo”. Message received five out of five by the unions, who have fed the hope of being able to return to the very sensitive question of the retirement age at 64, acted by the government of Elisabeth Borne.

But on March 16, a change in your sudden. When questioned about the question on France Inter, François Bayrou calms union inclinations by affirming that it is no longer possible to return to this measure. “I do not believe that the parametric question, as we say, that is to say the question of saying ‘this is the age for everyone’ (…) Either the only track “The Prime Minister is then justified. The room for maneuver of the social partners is greatly limited and this speaking causes the CGT.

The remaining discussion actors fix their own roadmap on April 3, carefully avoiding entering the hard of discussions. But the message from the head of government went well on the side of employers’ organizations. “Everyone understood that retirement age at 64 was acquired”declared Eric Chevée, representative of the CPME during the “conclave”, Thursday June 12 lcp. Before adding: “Finally, no, as long as a negotiation is not over …”

“Obviously, we are disappointed, we thought of getting things over 64 years old “, admits, exhausted, Pascale Coton, CFTC negotiator. Those who decide to stay then argue various claims. For the CFTC, the signing of an agreement will be dismissed if the employers’ organizations refuse to evolve on the age of discount, which requires a penalty to retirees leaving at the legal age without having contributed enough, by bringing it to 66 years (against 67 years with the terminal reform).

It is a “nerveless point in the discussion”Acquiesce Yvan Ricordeau, from the CFDT. The trade unionist also calls for the recognition of ergonomic arduous criteria “So that the employee can get an early start”. Without it, it is difficult to sign a possible agreement.

“By nature, the evolution of the pensions system is a complicated file, we knew it from the start. The challenge was therefore to succeed in obtaining corrections and improvements to the boundary reform.”

Yvan Ricordeau, representative of the CFDT during the “conclave” on pensions

in franceinfo

Failing to have been able to get backwards on the retirement age, the union has indeed decided to throw all its strength in the battle on these two points. “”The position of the CFDT is clear: the 64 -year measure is the most unfair. Now the challenge for us is to find as many improvements as possible for employees “defends the organization. Reaffirmed positions in recent days, when discussions have entered the early June in the “Monetary time”Dixit Marylise Léon, the secretary general of the CFDT.

This policy of small steps has already proven to be paid on a few points. Dyears a document listing its proposals, and which Franceinfo was able to consult, the Medef, who did not wish to answer our questions, says he is open to concessions concerning the retirement of women, with a more favorable revision of the calculation method For those who have experienced career interruptions. The employers’ organization Also proposes to take into account arduousness criteria for obtaining rights to training or retraining, without this opening up early retirement rights. But The MEDEF always refuses to let go of an increase in employer contributions. This measure is however desired by all union representatives to meet the objective set by François Bayrou to find a way of absorbing the deficit of the system estimated at 6.6 billion by 2030.

“The Medef has, for months, gave no clear position on his wishes. He waited on June 10 to put his pavement”, denounces Christelle Thieffinne, representative of the CFE-CGC during the negotiations. She refuses to bend at the DESIDETA du MEDEF in the last straight line. “L‘Tuesday challenge is to find out how we meet each other “, she insists. Before warning: “The walk is high”. And the probability of failure too.