Are the unions united against the new Prime Minister?

Unemployment insurance reform, wage increases, pensions… The unions must take stock on Monday of the strategy they wish to implement.

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Representatives of the unions CFDT (Olivier Guivarch), Unsa (Pauline Laby Leclercq), CGT (Sophie Binet), FSU and Solidaires, during a rally against the far right at Place de la République in Paris, June 27, 2024. (ZAKARIA ABDELKAFI / AFP)

The unions are meeting on Monday, September 9, to discuss their strategy for the new Prime Minister. The meeting was scheduled for this summer, well before Michel Barnier’s appointment, for the traditional back-to-school meeting. The unions have planned, for example, to talk about the rise of racism and anti-Semitism in the workplace, which they have observed in recent months. But this evening, they will also discuss the hot topics of pensions, salaries and the reform of unemployment insurance, which plans to toughen the rights of job seekers.

This measure, suspended by Gabriel Attal’s team, unites all the unions, who are demanding its removal. What will Michel Barnier’s position be? Coming from the right, it is likely that the new tenant of Matignon will be in favor of its implementation.

On the issue of salaries, the outgoing government has worked on a complete overhaul of contribution reductions, to encourage employers to increase the salaries of employees who are just above the minimum wage. Here again, will Michel Barnier repeat this? In any case, the unions want an increase in the minimum wage instead.

Finally, there is the explosive issue of pension reform. The new Prime Minister spoke about it during his first televised speech on Friday, September 6. He said he was ready to make adjustments for the most vulnerable people, particularly those who have difficult jobs. But the unions are demanding its repeal. They should have the opportunity to say this directly to Michel Barnier, since bilateral meetings should take place at Matignon this week.

While the unions’ demands seem homogeneous, we should not expect a united front against the new Prime Minister. For example, on pensions, Marylise Léon at the CFDT is willing to talk about hardship with Michel Barnier, because it is the demand of the leading French union for decades. While the CGT risks closing the door. For it, it is either the repeal of the 64-year threshold, or nothing, there is no in-between.

The same goes for the October 1st mobilization launched by the CGT, Sophie Binet will march with Solidaire and FSU, but FO and the CFDT have already said that they will not take to the streets. So we are far from unity.


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