Paris (AFP)

The boss of Medef Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux assured Monday that he was not "braced on the pivotal age", which crystallizes in particular the opposition of the CFDT, saying according to his entourage ready to consider exceptions for certain professional categories.

"The age measure, even if we can perhaps improve it, is the only smart way to finance the plan," said the boss of the bosses on BFM Business, on the 33rd day of the strike which affects especially transport. "We are not braced on the pivotal age, we are aware that to finance this reform, we have to work longer".

"We can adjust things on the pivotal age, in particular by providing for exclusions from certain categories or certain trades from the application" of this measure to raise the retirement age to receive a full pension, said AFP an employee of Mr. Roux de Bézieux at the start of the evening.

But not to be braced, "it is not to let go of the pivotal age at all," he added.

"The message I will carry is + yes to look around the age measurement what can be improved + but certainly not to give in to have a reform that is not funded", said the president of Medef about the meeting between the government and the social partners scheduled for Tuesday.

"We can find compromises. It is not illegitimate that the hardship points make it possible to leave earlier, that this age measure is suitable for long careers. This may be one of the elements to be discussed," added M Roux de Bézieux.

"What is on the table are the six current criteria of the arduousness account on which we can look at the thresholds, if it is reasonable, and improve them to take into account more people in the arduousness," he said. he clarified, however regretting that arduousness "does not exist in the public sector" and is only recognized in the private sector.

The president of Medef is however not in favor of organizing a "funding conference", unlike the CFDT which proposed this measure supported by the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire.

"I am not saying that I reject it, (...) but Laurent Berger (the boss of the CFDT, Editor's note) says: + we first reform, spend, and then we think about funding +".

Finally, while transport paralysis has just entered its second month, Mr. Roux de Bézieux seems to deplore the length of the consultation phase that led to this situation.

"We lost a bit of time and indeed we spent a little 18 months for nothing," he regrets. Former High Commissioner for Pensions "Delevoye, he did consultations, but you never knew what it was all about. Since the Prime Minister took over, things are on the table".

The boss of Medef clarified his thinking in another interview with the daily Le Parisien, published later online, indicating what were his red lines. "An age measurement is absolutely necessary," he believes, opposing Richard Ferrand's proposal to make this device temporary, especially since Medef refuses any increase in contributions linked to pensions.

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