“We must not dangle people with a Grenelle salary round table like in 1968” (François Asselin, CPME)

2023-08-31 16:07:00

LA TRIBUNE- Emmanuel Macron has announced his intention to organize a major social conference. Were you warned?

FRANÇOIS ASSELIN – Absolutely not. Like the other organizations, I learned this morning. But we will have to agree. Because I recall that in July, in the Prime Minister’s office, the social partners agreed on a social agenda. And this agenda covers in many respects the subject of wages: the employment of seniors, professional trajectories, the universal time savings account, etc.

A social conference is useless?

I believe that with this proposal, Emmanuel Macron seeks above all to offer a political response to part of the left wing of the hemicycle. A conference is an easy-to-grasp totem that does not commit him too much. We must not dangle people a Grenelle wages as in 1968. This is irrelevant.

We feel annoyed…

Let’s say that on wages, it’s not as if employers had done nothing this year! Insee, the Ministry of Labour, various studies show that in the commercial sector, remuneration has followed inflation over the past 12 rolling months. The increase is between 5 and 6%, all branches combined. On wages, business leaders are doing their part. Furthermore, I recall that this winter, we signed an agreement with the unions on the sharing of added value which marks real supra-salary advances (in terms of bonuses, profit-sharing), particularly in small businesses. This is a sign that social dialogue is dynamic on the subject. This agreement has also been incorporated into a law by the government.

Finally, I remind you that in order to keep their employees and recruit, employers are obliged to align themselves with market prices. The bosses of SMEs and VSEs know the difficulties of their teams to make ends meet. They know that it is not easy to live in France or overseas territories with a minimum wage…

And yet, there are still many branches with minima below the minimum wage…

It is true, and we can only regret it. But some professional branches have not completed a negotiation that must be opened to adjust to a new increase in the minimum wage. With inflation, the minimum wage has been constantly raised in recent months. Unions as company management had difficulty keeping pace. However, I note that progress has been made. Employers are voluntary. The bosses of small businesses share the daily life of their employees, they are in reality. When they can raise wages, they do.

At the moment, the situation is getting more complicated. Can they?

I confirm that we feel the activity slowing down in many sectors. The loss ratio of companies is increasing in many sectors: catering, hotels, construction… A few months ago, VSEs were the most likely to go out of business. Today, we see more and more SMEs reporting major difficulties. The morale of business leaders tends to weaken. The worry is stronger. The loans guaranteed by the Covid state must be repaid, there are still tensions on energy prices, fuel prices are not falling. Last year, there was the energy shield. What will winter look like? While inflation remains high, state aid is reduced, the government is trying to save money…

And in the next budget, companies are likely to be called upon…

Yes, I remind you that France is one of the champions of tax and social levies. Like the Medef, we are once morest the spreading of the fall in the CVAE, the contribution on the added value over several years. The Head of State had undertaken to abolish it from 2024. In principle, he does not keep his word.

We are afraid of returning to the fiscal instability that we have known. However, companies need stability and confidence. It is essential to invest serenely. We are obviously sensitive to the government controlling its spending. But we expect a real strategy for reforming public action. Watch this week, Germany announced 7 billion euros a year in tax relief for companies, especially small ones, to revive its economy. It’s a real snub for France. Because, meanwhile, in France, we are witnessing tinkering around production taxes. While promising to help us export. This is not serious.