"Stop taxes": several hundred retirees demonstrate in front of Bercy for their purchasing power

Hundreds of people gathered in Paris Tuesday in front of the Ministry of Economy at the call of an inter-union to demand the removal of the rise in the CSG for all retirees and an increase in pensions.

"Macron Thief". "Retired, exploited, revolted", "Macron robber, give me my retirement", could we read on the signs of the demonstrators, gathered around a Christmas tree whose branches hung gifts "rise of the CSG", "stop taxes", "increase pensions".

Nine trade union organizations (UCR-CGT, UCR-FO, UNAR-CFTC, UNIR CFE-CGC, FSU-Retired, Solidarity, FGR-FP, LSR, Together and Solidarity) maintained their day of action in Paris despite the new gesture Emmanuel Macron on the CSG of December 10th. The president announced, in response to the movement of "yellow vests", the exemption of the rise of the CSG for retirees receiving less than 2,000 euros per month all income combined.

READ ALSO: Why the cancellation of the increase in the CSG has not calmed the anger of retirees

But after several years of almost freezing pensions, and no increase in 2018, "we expected the increase in pensions, we will still have only 0.3%", well below inflation, lamented Didier Hotte (UCR-FO), in reference to the under-revaluation of pensions planned by the government in 2019 and 2020 to achieve savings. "You do not have to be a mathematician to see that you've been made," said Jean-Pierre Floret (UGR-CGT).

According to the two trade unionists, the Minister of the Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire refused in the morning to receive the trade unions. "Under Sarkozy and Holland, at least we were received, there scorn is total," lambasted Jean-Pierre Floret.

A national mobilization in early 2019. Not to mention that pensioners subject to an increase in the CSG in 2018 and exempted for 2019 will still pay in the first six months of the coming year, before being reimbursed in the summer, according to government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux.

Of the 7 million households that have undergone the increase of the CSG in 2018, "3.5 million will no longer have (...) in 2019 and the following years," said the Minister of Labor Muriel Penicaud Monday on RTL. Not enough to satisfy the nine organizations, which will meet Wednesday morning for a national mobilization early next year. A demonstration was also held Tuesday morning in Pau at the call of this same inter-union.