‘Unions appear quite strong’ in upcoming negotiations, says expert

“It is a dialogue that should remain in the union, even if Elisabeth Borne has chosen a so-called bilateral format, the inter-union is intended to remain united”, estimates Saturday, May 6 on franceinfo Christophe Boutin, political scientist, professor of public law at the University of Caen. He was reacting to the Prime Minister’s invitation sent to the unions for May 16 and 17 at Matignon. The CGT, CFTC, CFDT and CFE-CGC accepted the government’s invitation. FO will give its answer on Wednesday, the day after its office meeting, during which the decision will be taken.

The inter-union unity “he benefited a lot at the time of the pension crisis, in public opinion”. That “allows it to have real weight in the negotiations which should come on some important texts.” There are in particular, “the text says about the sharing of value which is the transcription into law of agreements that have taken place between the unions and the employers”.

Unions “big winners” of the conflict over pension reform

There is also “the so-called full employment law, or labor law or working life pact law, in which we will be able to reintegrate elements that have been ruled out by the Constitutional Council of the law”on pension reform. “It is important to be able to reintegrate them”because “they came to soften”, the text, as the senior index. In this context, “the unions appear to be quite strong, in this perspective of negotiation with the unions and with the government”.

Thanks to “this momentum, the unions come out” as “the big winners of the pension crisis”notably “in public opinion”. In future negotiations, “they will be able to have a major role”. For this researcher, today, thanks to their union in the fight against pension reform, “the trade unions clearly appear as an element of dialogue” in the society.