Inter-union "ready" to discuss pension reform with government but reiterates "no" to retirement at 64

The eight trade union organisations (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, Solidaires and FSU) which led the social fight in 2023 against the reform wanted by President Emmanuel Macron, said in a press release that they were "ready to participate in all consultation and negotiation meetings on all pension issues".

They cite "age measures that must be repealed, gender equality, hardship, employment of seniors, long careers..."

The inter-union insists: "64 years old, it's still no!" in reference to the progressive postponement of the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years old introduced by the reform.

"The aim was to communicate together before the issue of pensions comes up again with the debates on the PLF and PLFSS. (...) And before the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour come back to us to resume discussions," confided a union source.

On October 1, during his general policy speech before the National Assembly, Michel Barnier said he was open to "reasonable and fair adjustments", in consultation with social partners, while judging it "imperative to preserve the sustainable balance of our pension system".

"After 18 months of denial and presidential force, this is the first recognition that this reform is unfair," believes the inter-union.

This still calls on the head of government "to immediately suspend the reform to allow its repeal and to organize a conference on pension financing during which the union organizations will demonstrate that it is possible to return to the 64 years."

"The future of pensions deserves a high-level debate: we must be able to address all the issues and discuss all the parameters. This is how we must remove the age measures of the previous reform while consolidating the future of our pay-as-you-go pension system," the unions continue to argue.

This appeal, signed for the first time in several months by all the trade union organisations, could be followed by a joint meeting in the coming weeks, a close source said.

In the meantime, Force Ouvrière is organising a meeting on the repeal of the pension reform on 26 October at La Mutualité in Paris, we learned from the union on Monday.

On September 26, a video meeting was held between representatives of the inter-union and elected officials of the New Popular Front, essentially at the initiative of the left, according to concordant union sources.

"There is a real desire on the part of certain politicians to listen to the unions, which is positive," said one participant, who wished to remain anonymous.

"Their question was whether or not they were being asked to vote for the proposed law to repeal the pension reform put forward by the National Rally," said one of the participants.

But no clear decision seems to have emerged: some of the unions point out that the RN text has no chance of success (the party does not have a group in the Senate), while others refer elected officials to "their responsibilities" without wanting to dictate their votes.