There is “none” room for negotiation concerning the reform of unemployment insurance, said Thursday August 25 on franceinfo Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT. The government will present its unemployment insurance reform and must meet the social partners.
The unemployed are “pointed out, but there are two problems: working conditions and wages. There is no answer” on these topics. As far as negotiations are concerned, “The method is always the same. They send us a letter and they tell us: this is the result I want. The frame” negotiation “is very small. We are told: here is the result we want, manage to find it. The negotiation is already truncated.”
Unemployment insurance ➡️ “It’s the very principle” of the reform that poses a problem for the secretary general of the CGT. “The philosophy is ‘if you don’t have a job, it’s your fault’. When do we focus on the quality of employment, the attractiveness of professions?” pic.twitter.com/qvHQq23sNJ
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) August 25, 2022
The reform plans to modulate the compensation of the unemployed, the duration, the amount, according to the economic health of the country. The more the job market will be buoyant, the less compensation will be strong in order to encourage applicants to reorient themselves, in particular. “If you don’t have a job it’s your fault, that’s the philosophy”reacted Philippe Martinez. “So, if you can’t find any job, we turn off the tap. One out of two unemployed people is not compensated.” To deal with job shortages in certain sectors, they must be made attractive, in particular by reviewing “wages” and “meaning of work”. “You have to find meaning at work.”
On the issue of wages, many mobilizations have taken place in recent months. “There are still some from this start of the school year in public or private companies. There is a need to mobilize and that is why we are proposing a day of action from September 29 around the question of wages. For the moment, only the CGT and Solidaires participate in this day. “There is a meeting next week with all the trade unions. If all the unions in France could agree, it would be good for all citizens.” A great movement in the street “is essential”insisted Philippe Martinez.
Another reform is that of pensions. “Working longer is out of step with reality”according to Philippe Martinez.
“Do you imagine nursing assistants working at the same age as the residents? We deny the reality of the work.”
Philippe Martinez, general secretary of the CGTat franceinfo
There was “18 months of talks” especially with Elisabeth Borne. “Everyone knows the situation and the opinion of each other. So, we must lower the retirement age.”