Paris (AFP)

The speech of Edouard Philippe, and in particular the prospect of the establishment of an "age of equilibrium" at 64, has won unanimous support from the unions against him, including supporters of universal retirement points like the CFDT for whom "a red line has been crossed".

"There was a red line in this reform, it was not mixing the need for systemic reform (...) and parametric reform that would require workers to work longer, this red line is crossed "reacted Mr. Berger, very angry after the Prime Minister's speech.

The national office of the first French union was to meet in the afternoon to decide "actions in the days and weeks to come," he added.

Even "disappointment" for Unsa's secretary general, Laurent Escure, who was also not opposed to the points system. "We had the unpleasant surprise, which is a red line for us, which is the question of the measure of age," he said.

Unsurprisingly, unions opposed to the very principle of point-based retirement felt that they were strengthened in their analysis.

"The government has made fun of the world (...) Everyone will work longer, it is unacceptable," responded the number of the CGT Philippe Martinez.

This "can only confirm the need to strengthen the mobilization", reacted Labor Force which sees in the decline of the government on the application of the reform (of the generation 1963 to 1975) "a consequence of the exceptional mobilization" engaged the December 5th.

The CFE-CGC also remains "in the camp of the opponents", according to its president François Hommeril who judges the "reform more and more dangerous".

In the civil service, the announcement of the "sanctuarisation" of the level of pensions of teachers, with a gradual revaluation from 2021, has not satisfied either.

"Discontent and determination remain intact," responded Bernadette Groison, secretary general of the FSU, the first union federation among teachers. "We still do not know what Philippe proposes to offset the end of the calculation of pensions over the last six months," she said.

- "declaration of war" -

"With regard to announced career upgrades - which overlook many professional categories, how can we give the slightest credit to interlocutors who have systematically refused, for years, the slightest increase in the value of the point, of a much lower cost?" responded the inter-union of the civil service (CGT, FA, FO, FSU and Solidaires).

In state-owned enterprises, the main unions also expressed their dissatisfaction at the Prime Minister's speech, which reaffirmed his desire to put an end to special regimes without specifying the possible transition period.

For the CGT federation of railway workers, "the announcements of the Prime Minister must encourage employees to strengthen the strike," said its secretary general Laurent Brun. "There, I think we go in the wall," said Bruno Poncet, federal secretary of SUD-Rail (3rd).

The Unsa, the first RATP union, calls for "to install the mobilization over time" and "to expand the movement beyond transport," said its secretary general Thierry Babec.

"What has been retained (of the speech) is the end of the special regimes and the end of the statutes.This is a declaration of war," responded Sébastien Menesplier, Federal Secretary CGT Energie.

The government has hardly been more successful with the liberal professions.

"We regret that the Prime Minister has recited to the comma the report of the High Commissioner for pensions," responded the National Council of Bars that "vote actions this Friday".

The main police unions have also assured to see "no progress" and threaten to "harden" the mobilization to maintain their specific regime.

© 2019 AFP