Une new pension reform is essential to safeguard our system. The weight of demography is implacable, with a ratio between the number of contributors and that of retirees which continues to deteriorate according to the Pensions Orientation Council (COR). COR’s projections, which point to growing deficits, are additionally based on optimistic unemployment and productivity assumptions. If “to govern is to foresee”, this means that the necessary measures must be taken. It should be noted that a majority of French people do not wish to question the retirement rules resulting from previous reforms, whereas our fellow citizens were often opposed to them.
Increasing contributions when the rate of compulsory levies in France is one of the highest in the world, and this in a context of high inflation, can undermine competitiveness and purchasing power, and maintain a negative cycle widening even more deficits . The only responsible response is therefore to extend the number of years worked. There is never a good time to reform. To delay the reforms is to make the situation more difficult and the reforms more inevitable. The courageous reform process initiated by the government responds to this requirement of fairness and balance.
The increase in the minimum pension to 1,200 euros and the provisions relating to long careers go in this direction. Justice also implies the inclusion in the reform of special regimes and presupposes provisions taking hardship into account, as with each reform since 2003. The measurement of certain difficult working conditions in companies with thresholds can quickly be a factory with gas. Five expert reports failed to resolve the difficulties that their implementation induced, and they were logically withdrawn in 2017.
Promote phased retirement
The finding of exposure to hardship must lead to the improvement of working conditions, because if there is hardship, there must be an advantage in return. It is therefore necessary to prevent hardship and repair wear. The Prime Minister has rightly chosen to take into account wear and tear, which has been medically verified. A real prevention policy – without adverse effects and without the creation of new special regimes – requires the withdrawal of the employee concerned from the difficult position but not from employment in general.
This is the meaning of retraining mechanisms for those who have worked in arduous positions. What is more demanding and more complex for the trade unions as for the companies… The reform goes in this direction by taking into account the carrying of heavy loads and the painful postures by preventive measures and access to early retirement on medical report . The use of the professional prevention account will be usefully based on social dialogue.
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