Thanks to Emmanuel Macron, the unions speak with one voice, without the need to coordinate. They are resolutely opposed to the desire of the president-candidate to push back the legal retirement age from 62 to 65. Everything displeases them in this proposal, which became official on Thursday March 10, and which the Elysée tenant will implement if he is re-elected for a second term: the method for announcing it, the arguments which justify it and its consequences for many workers.
Laurent Berger had a golden opportunity to publicly show his disapproval. The CFDT, of which he is the secretary general, received, Thursday, at its Parisian headquarters, contenders for the supreme magistracy (or their representatives) to audition them on social dialogue, purchasing power, ecological transition, etc. During this exercise, it was Richard Ferrand who spoke for the Head of State. The President of the National Assembly, close to the President and already very involved in the campaign in 2017, confirmed the idea of raising the eligibility age by three years.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Berger spoke to journalists to reiterate that he found this project “unfair” and “brutal”. “It penalizes those who started working early, those who have a difficult job, those who have trouble staying employed at an advanced age”, he said, explaining that many policyholders are unemployed or on disability when they claim payment of their pension. Individuals in this situation risk staying there even longer if they have to wait until age 65 to retire. Conversely, added Mr. Berger, women and men who started their professional life late, with activities “more sustainable” and “better valued” will be little affected by the reform – “even, not at all” : “It’s solidarity in the opposite direction. »
“Dogmatic and simplistic measure”
The other union officials, requested by The world, are exactly on the same line. Mr. Macron’s approach “seems to me to be out of place and in contradiction with his assertion of wanting to listen to citizens”, indicates Philippe Martinez, emphasizing that all employee organizations are hostile to the measure. The number one of the CGT is more than perplexed by the promises made Thursday by the close guard of the Head of State to keep exceptions for people who have occupied physically demanding positions: at the start of the legislature, recalls he, the government had greatly reduced a device – the hardship prevention account – which allows you to stop your career before age 62.
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