"The united inter-union" will meet Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on April 5, at the invitation of the government, "to demand the withdrawal of the reform" of pensions, announced Friday the new secretary general of the CGT, Sophie Binet.

"We will go, all the interunion, united, to demand the withdrawal of this reform in a firm, determined way," said Sophie Binet, who was speaking at the podium of the congress of the CGT, where she has just been elected to succeed Philippe Martinez.

Employers' organisations also received

The main employers' organizations announced Friday that they would be received Wednesday at Matignon, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne invited unions opposed to the pension reform.

Asked about the presence of Medef in Matignon, Medef president Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux replied "yes, a priori with other employers' organizations. I don't know if we'll go before or after, but we'll go on Wednesday." "It's quite normal, because whatever the topics discussed, whether we talk about pensions or work, employers have an opinion on the issue," he said.

The Confederation of SMEs (CPME) welcomes for its part in a press release "to have been invited to a meeting of the three national interprofessional organizations representing companies" among which is also the Union of local companies (U2P), which represents craftsmen and liberal professions.

"No reason why we shouldn't talk about pensions"

The CPME considers it "important not to limit the discussion with the social partners to trade unions of employees only".

For this organization, "the social crisis that is shaking our country is not without consequences on economic activity" and "the excesses observed recently, blockages or wild power cuts only fuel a growing exasperation of those who want to continue working".

Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux said he saw "no reason why we should not talk about pensions", while it is not certain that this subject will be addressed by the Prime Minister during these consultations.



Trusting social partners more

Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux reiterated his support for the reform whose flagship measure is the raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. "It's difficult, it's unpopular, it's painful, every other country has done it. It is voted and for us it is time to move on, to try to find other topics for negotiation, perhaps to change the method, "said the president of Medef.

Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux said he wanted the government to have more "confidence in the social partners", taking the example of the agreement on the sharing of value in companies signed by four unions out of five, with the exception of the CGT, and which the government has committed to transcribe in a legislative text.

Between the Medef and the trade unions, "the thread has never been cut, we saw each other again this week with Laurent Berger and with others," said the president of Medef.

An 11th day of union mobilization against the pension reform is scheduled for Thursday, April 6.

  • Politics
  • Pension reform 2023
  • CGT
  • Trade union
  • Elisabeth Borne
  • Government
  • Employers