If the urgency of a pension reform creates a debate, its content too.

For Emmanuel Macron, there is no doubt, "the only lever we have is to work longer", in this case by raising the legal age from 62 to 64 or even 65 years old.

The executive hopes to reduce spending from 18 to 19 billion by 2030, enough to absorb a double-digit deficit and finance some new rights such as an increase in small pensions.

But the unions argue that other sources of funding exist, starting with employment.

Official projections attest to this: depending on whether the unemployment rate will be 4.5% (i.e. full employment targeted by the executive) or 7% as today, the deficit will vary from 13.5 to 19.5 billion at the end of the decade.

A better employment rate for seniors would "deal with part of the problem", according to number two of Unsa Dominique Corona.

By adding to the 56% of 55-64 year olds currently in activity "10% to 15% of additional seniors who work, it is 10 billion who return", affirms the leader of the CFTC Cyril Chabanier.

An objective that the increase in the legal age would make it possible to achieve mechanically but which could also go through more training and better management of the end of careers, even if it means imposing an "obligation to negotiate" in companies as claimed by the CFDT .

The solution also involves wages, as demonstrated by the unexpected surpluses of the pension system in 2021 and 2022: the rebound of the post-Covid economy, then the surge in inflation, have pulled wages up, so boosted contributions.

To further inflate the manna, the CGT claims "professional equality between women and men", just like Solidaires which ensures that this "would bring 14 billion to the pension funds".

Failing that, or in addition, all the unions defend an increase in employer contributions.

An increase "of the order of one point" would thus bring in 7.5 billion, according to Unsa.

The CFTC is even ready to "discuss the distribution between the employee and the employer", the same sum can be obtained by taking three euros more from each.

Some organizations are finally eyeing the side of the exemptions enjoyed by companies and which have greatly reduced contributions on low wages.

© 2023 AFP