The general secretary of the CFDT, Marylise Léon, believes that the current political situation allows the social partners to play a greater role and promote their demands. He is concerned about the current social plans, but also about less visible restructuring and job losses, which are occurring especially in small businesses.
The draft agreement on unemployment insurance, on which the CFDT will make its final decision on Thursday, November 21 after a favorable initial ruling, generates enormous savings. Is this really a step forward for employees and job seekers?
Yes it is. For the CFDT, it was about being responsible, both for the management of the plan and the financial trajectory. And then we targeted specific audiences, particularly seasonal workers and those first on unemployment insurance (in other words, young people) for whom we wanted to improve the rules.
I am completely clear that the agreement generates savings and that efforts are required. The compass of our organization was that they be fair and better distributed according to job applicants, and that employers assume their responsibility. We also knew that, in case of failure, the violent reform of the [l’ancien premier ministre] Gabriel Attal, who was suspended, was still at the scene. Therefore, the challenge to succeed is even more important.
The agreement on the employment of older people contains few regulatory measures. Will you encourage companies to keep or hire employees in their sixties?
The agreement allows us to clarify what we agreed with the businessmen. I don’t think that for older people there is a miracle recipe, with one measure that solves everything. But we must be able to move forward gradually. We will see what results the compromise reached brings, in particular on progressive retirement, now open from the age of 60 thanks to this agreement, and we will meet again because the debate is not closed.
The Government, which invited them to negotiate, welcomed the talks concluded on Thursday. Is this the social partners’ return to grace after seven years during which they were mistreated?
I’m not here to remake the movie. What matters to me is that the CFDT has fulfilled its role in favor of workers and job seekers. I knew we had to be there and we were there. Now I hope that the Government will do so, in turn, making this trust a reality, with a rapid transposition into law of the provisions that require it.
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