2024-11-15 15:56:00
Tired, but not exhausted after having concluded their flash negotiations on unemployment insurance and employment of seniors very late on Thursday, unions and employers have achieved their primary goal, whatever their differences of opinion on the texts: to demonstrate that They are always able to agree at an interprofessional level.
After years of macronism which left them more constrained or even left on the sidelines than put forward, their reactions had a scent of revenge towards the head of state. The addition of a small agreement at the very end of the session capable of obtaining the favorable opinion of the CGT – it is rare at this level – to remove the limitation of union mandates in the CSEs was like the icing on the a cake with a very political flavor.
“Mission accomplished”
Recalling that he had made the “gamble on social dialogue” from his general policy declaration, the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, welcomed this achievement on France Bleu “thanks to the intelligent, respectful work of the unions and employers”. The Minister of Labor, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, praised a “new method based on trust”, but forgot one of the three agreements in her first press release.
“We had three major objectives,” confirmed the leader of the CFDT negotiators, Yvan Ricordeau. Demonstrate, firstly, that the social partners are better able to define the rules after a “difficult cycle” – failure of the previous negotiation on the employment of seniors in April, the Attal government refusing any opening on progressive retirement, and a new tightening of the screws on unemployment insurance concocted by this same government. Then bring new rights for employees. Finally, reach an agreement.
“We are not jeopardizing unemployment insurance and we are laying the first stone on the employment of seniors. Mission accomplished, it seems to us,” added Frédéric Belouze for the CFTC. “All three agreements are interesting. We will decide on their overall balance,” added Patricia Drevon for FO, poorly hiding the favorable opinion that her delegation will deliver this Monday before the union’s governing bodies.
Unanimity is not perfect
If the essential – the obligation to succeed – has been achieved on the union side, unanimity is not perfect, as usual with compromises. The CFE-CGC, for example, joined the seniors agreement although it judges that the negotiation missed its main objective, namely increasing the activity rate of seniors. “All the successful Northern European countries have put in place ambitious agreements on part-time work at the end of their careers. But hey, there is progress, it is what it is and it has the merit of existing,” admitted its leader, Jean-François Foucard.
However, there is no question for the executives’ union to sign on unemployment insurance, the agreement changing nothing on the degression of benefits paid to the highest incomes. The CGT, which did not link the fate of the two negotiations, rejected the unemployment agreement, and will probably do the same for the one on the employment of seniors. “At the end of the day, there are a few little extras for employees but in the end the text is very unbalanced,” pointed out Sandrine Mourey.
The CPME revolt
The most glaring dissonances ultimately came from the employers’ camp. In April, we remember, it was the U2P which seceded and ended up concluding agreements with the unions, on the universal time savings account and professional retraining. This time, the revolt came from the CPME which cannot digest that the exemption from employer unemployment contributions associated with the experience promotion contract, ex-senior permanent contract, is almost buried.
With the senior agreement, “we tell the business manager [de plus de 300 salariés, NDLR] that he will have to go through obligatory negotiations and over-justify why progressive retirement is not possible, without anything in front, criticized his representative, Eric Chevée. All this will not push them to hire unemployed people over 60! The senior permanent contract is now when we need it. It was the perfect opportunity to open the doors of SMEs given the economic context. »
Swearing that there should be no retaliation, the CPME will not sign the agreement on union mandates. Not only has the problem not yet arisen, but “it would be madness to start unraveling the 2017 labor orders,” she argued. It doesn’t matter, because, seen from Medef, this agreement was mainly intended to bring FO on board, which would not have signed on the employment of seniors without winning its case on what constitutes one of its flagship demands.
The CFDT already foresees the future
Beyond these negotiation games, the unemployment insurance agreement has gone to collect the signatures of three unions (CFDT, CFTC and FO), that on the employment of seniors four (CFE-CGC in addition), while the one on union mandates has a chance of making a grand slam. All this achieved in a little less than a month, even if everyone recognizes that the Barnier government had clearly marked out the terrain.
The CFDT is already foreseeing the future. “We want to build on this dynamic to move forward on the themes of professional attrition, with the upcoming consultation on the adjustments to the pension reform, and professional retraining and the quality of life at work, the Minister of Labor having promised a labor COP in early 2025,” underlined Yvan Ricordeau.
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What were the main objectives achieved in the recent negotiations on unemployment insurance and employment for seniors?
**Interview with Yvan Ricordeau, Leader of CFDT Negotiators**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Yvan. The recent negotiations on unemployment insurance and employment for seniors have generated a lot of discussion. How would you summarize the outcome of these negotiations?
**Yvan Ricordeau:** Thank you for having me. we consider it a “mission accomplished.” Our primary goals were clear: to demonstrate that social partners can effectively set rules after a difficult negotiation cycle, to bring new rights for employees, and ultimately to reach an agreement that benefits everyone. Despite some differences, we’ve laid the groundwork for future negotiations, especially concerning senior employment.
**Editor:** There seems to be some mixed reactions among different unions. Can you elaborate on the different perspectives that emerged from the negotiations?
**Yvan Ricordeau:** Absolutely. While we achieved a significant consensus on some aspects, not every union is entirely satisfied. For example, the CFE-CGC expressed concerns that the negotiations did not meet the main objective of increasing the activity rate of seniors. On the other hand, the CGT rejected the unemployment insurance agreement altogether, viewing it as unbalanced. The views highlight the complexity of achieving unanimity in such negotiations.
**Editor:** The government has praised the results as a sign of successful social dialogue. Do you believe this approach will lead to more constructive negotiations in the future?
**Yvan Ricordeau:** Yes, I think we’ve taken a step towards a new method based on trust. The government initially approached social dialogue with skepticism, especially after the previous failed attempts. But by coming together now, we’ve shown that unions and employers can collaborate effectively. It’s essential for us to build on this momentum and continue refining this dialogue in future negotiations.
**Editor:** Looking ahead, what do you see as the next steps for the unions and employers following this agreement?
**Yvan Ricordeau:** There’s a lot of work ahead. We need to evaluate this agreement’s overall balance and ensure that the rights we’ve gained for employees are preserved. Additionally, we must stay vigilant about the conditions surrounding unemployment insurance, as they are still a contentious issue. We also need to keep pushing for meaningful reforms that help promote active employment for seniors—our work is just beginning.
**Editor:** Thank you, Yvan, for sharing your insights. It will be interesting to see how this dialogue progresses in the coming months.
**Yvan Ricordeau:** Thank you for having me. I’m optimistic about the future of our negotiations and the potential positive change for workers in France.
