If the health crisis is one of the major concerns of this return, the executive does not intend to put aside its social agenda. Prime Minister Jean Castex receives this Wednesday and Thursday representatives of unions and employers in Matignon.
On the program: a “complete tour” of social issues for the start of the school year, AFP learned from several union sources, a few months before the end of Emmanuel Macron’s five-year term. They will also most certainly address the health crisis. Jean Castex is to receive the social partners in bilateral talks.
Among the subjects which will probably be put on the table: the reform of unemployment insurance, which, according to the announcements of the President of the Republic on July 12, will be “fully implemented from the 1erOctober”. Part of the reform, which the unions strongly oppose, entered into force on 1er July, in particular the degression of unemployment benefits for high incomes, or the bonus-malus system for short contracts. But the Council of State suspended in June another part of the text, which should modify the calculation of the daily reference wage.
The highest administrative court had been seized by seven unions to counter the reform. The Council of State had specified in June that it did not question “the principle of the reform itself”, but insisted on the fact that “the uncertainties on the economic situation” did not allow to set up these new rules from 1er July, and thus postponed its application.
Mobilization day on October 5
The unions also expect to discuss the thorny subject of pension reform. On this file, Emmanuel Macron had decided to procrastinate, declaring that the reform would only be initiated when the coronavirus epidemic would be “under control”. No deadline therefore, but as this is one of the most important projects of his five-year term, and a campaign promise, discussions between the social partners and the government should resume.
This meeting in Matignon comes as the inter-union CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, FIDL, MNL, Unef and UNL called Monday evening for a great day of mobilization on October 5. “Insecurity is on the rise, and despite unanimous opposition, the implementation of the unemployment insurance reform remains relevant. The return of the pension reform that we fought and prevented is back on the agenda, ”deplores the CGT in a press release.