The CFDT takes a step. It no longer calls for the repeal of the pension reform law but for a pause in the application of its article 7 regarding the increase in the legal age from 62 to 64 years. Laurent Berger, general secretary of the first union in France, draws up his plan to get out of the crisis as part of the challenge to pension reform.
On France Inter this Tuesday he explained why he considers it necessary to “suspend the 64-year-old measure: that is what polarizes the entire opposition.”
A parenthesis that would allow us to find the path of dialogue: “you have to take a month, a month and a half, where you say ‘the 64-year-old will not apply’, to ask one, two, three people to mediate , go to see the different parties and ask them: “what do you want?”. And then we sit around the table and look at the subject of retirement, work, about what a social commitment would be, “he explains.
CGT and FO on the same line
“But a strong gesture must be made” by the government warns Laurent Berger, “we must stop this famous article 7, this age measure”.
For the CFDT leader, the executive must “clearly announce that there will be no implementation of this reform and that we favor a path of discussion and carry out this sequence” of mediation.
But whatever the government’s response, Laurent Berger warns that his union will not give up: “we will continue” as long as “we are not heard.”
The decision of the Constitutional Council on the bill is expected “within fifteen days, three weeks, it is too long in this context of tensions.” “What the inter-union is offering today is a gesture of appeasement” that “must be captured,” said Laurent Berger.
For the Government, “we do not necessarily need mediation to talk to each other”
In fact, this proposal has received the support of FO and the CGT. “Given the mobilization that does not abate, we have once again proposed to the government and especially to the President of the Republic that he suspend his project and appoint a mediator,” said Philippe Martínez, head of the CGT.
“This is the proposal made by the inter-union, so we are going to write to the President of the Republic to validate this proposal in writing,” he added.
Given this proposal, the government’s reception is mixed. “We don’t necessarily need mediation to talk to each other. We can talk to each other directly. The President of the Republic has said it, he is ready to receive the inter-union as soon as (…) that the Constitutional Council will rule on the conformity of our text of law”, said Olivier Véran, government spokesman, adding that “the Prime Minister The Minister is at the disposal of the unions to receive them”.
According to him, “it is important to do this because along with the pension reform, there are many elements related to work” about which the government wants to discuss with the social agents, “but also because who says law, says decrees for the application of the law and that there are many things that can be discussed about the implementation of various elements of this withdrawal bill.”
“If we go on hiatus for a month and a half and mediation, in the end we will not approve the reform,” a government source assured AFP.
Source: BFM TV
