Prime Minister Jean Castex discussing with trade unionists, in Lille on October 16, 2020. -

Sarah ALCALAY / SIPA

With the coronavirus pandemic and especially because of the resulting economic crisis, the postponement of the application of the unemployment insurance reform is a possibility still on the table.

But the subject is particularly sensitive.

To address it, Prime Minister Jean Castex will therefore bring together the social partners this Monday in Matignon from 9 am.

For the executive, it will be a question of making "a progress report" on the first projects launched at the Ministry of Labor, in particular those in response to the crisis, such as monitoring the youth plan, professional retraining or jobs in voltage.

The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire and the Minister of Labor Élisabeth Borne will therefore be present, along with the Secretary of State for Pensions and Occupational Health, Laurent Pietraszewski.

A first for Castex

The discussions should be strongly influenced by the consequences of the new measures taken to slow down the epidemic, in particular the curfew, introduced in 54 departments and which risks further deteriorating the employment situation.

"We are not in the situation of July 17 where we all hoped to have the health crisis behind us", we recognize in Matignon, about the first "social conference" organized after the appointment of Jean Castex as head of government .

Among the points that will also be discussed: the unions intend to call again for the abandonment of the reform of unemployment insurance, which the executive had agreed in July to suspend until January 1.

This provides for a hardening of 4 to 6 months of work to open up rights and a reform of the method of calculating benefits unfavorable to those who alternate unemployment and short contracts.

If the executive refuses to question the "philosophy" of the reform, he says he is ready to move certain "parameters" and the question of a new postponement "will be the subject of a round table", admits -on in Matignon.

"The date of April 1, 2021 is in the landscape," confirms a trade unionist.

Pensions also on the table

The new timetable could also concern pension reform, which should normally come back into the debate at the end of 2020-beginning of 2021. In a letter to the Prime Minister on October 14, the five union leaders (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC and CFTC ) suggested that the government “announce that the time is not to put pensions back on the agenda”.

On this point, the government kicks in for the moment by putting forward the preliminary consultation on the work of the seniors which will start soon.

Other subjects could gain more consensus, such as modifying several existing professional retraining systems, such as mobility leave and redeployment leave, in order to facilitate the transition from a sector affected by the crisis to a sector in tension.

Economy

Fall of the French economy in perspective for the end of the year

Economy

But where will France find the billions of euros to fight against the crisis?

  • Union

  • Covid 19

  • Jean Castex

  • Video

  • Social dialogue

  • Coronavirus

  • Economy