“No, it is no longer negotiable”.
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne affirmed on Franceinfo, Sunday January 29, that "retirement at 64 and the acceleration (of the extension of the contribution period) of the Touraine reform" were no longer on the menu of the negotiations which could be carried out on the pension reform – contested by a majority of French people.
"This is the compromise that we proposed after having heard the employers' and trade union organizations, after having exchanged with the various parliamentary groups (...) It is necessary to ensure the balance of the system", she said. added, before pleading: "If we had only one parameter, then it wouldn't be 43 years of contribution and 64 years to be able to retire, it could be 45 years of contribution period, which seems impossible to ask the French".
The head of government, on the other hand, is open to a discussion in Parliament on better use of the "education" and "maternity" trimesters obtained by women during their careers: "As of today, there are a lot of women who cannot use them to the full, we are in the process of analyzing the situation of these women who (…) could not use them to the full tomorrow, so this analysis is in progress.
The deputies seize Monday in committee of the highly disputed pension reform project, under the eye of the opponents who organize Tuesday a high point of mobilization in the street.
"Well set to be more numerous" in the street
Galvanized by the success of their first mobilization against the pension reform, the unions are calling for new demonstrations everywhere in France on Tuesday and threatening strikes in February.
A hoped-for mass effect to overcome an "unjust reform".
But after this successful first day, "the bar has been set high", notes political scientist Dominique Adolfatto, and the unions "cannot afford a faux pas".
They are quite confident.
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"We are on track to be more numerous", assures Céline Verzeletti, confederal secretary of the CGT.
Hope reinforced by polls showing a growing rejection of the reform in public opinion.
"The population is very unfavorable to the project and this opinion tends to gain momentum", also notes the number one of the CFDT, Laurent Berger.
Who warns the executive: not taking into account the mobilizations "would be a fault".
If Jean-Luc Mélenchon (La France insoumise) suggested on Saturday to the unions to organize soon a "very big march" a weekend, it is from this Tuesday that the participation will be scrutinized in the more than 200 rallies planned in France .
In Paris, the course must this time end at the Invalides, very close to the National Assembly, where the examination of the bill will begin Monday in committee.
Repeated strikes in early February
More than 7,000 amendments have been tabled, mainly by the left, which intends to prolong the debates, while the right seeks to raise the stakes, aware that its votes will be crucial to adopt the reform.
The government must also deal with its own majority, where many are calling for improvements and some are reluctant to vote for the text.
Tensions exacerbated by the risk of repeated strikes.
On Tuesday, disruptions are expected in public transport, in particular at SNCF and RATP.
Closings of classes, even schools, are also to be expected, the rate of strikers among primary school teachers to be known on Monday.
But the continuation of the movement remains uncertain.
On the side of the CGT, some federations are pushing for a hardening.
New strikes have already been announced in ports, refineries and power stations from February 6.
Among the railway workers, it will be 7 and 8, a prelude to a renewable notice "from mid-February", warned the CGT and SUD.
Right during the winter holidays and its big crossover weekend of 18-19.
But the CFDT prefers to "keep public opinion" on its side.
"The level of trade union effectiveness cannot be measured by the level of concrete hassle for citizens", explains Laurent Berger, who also does not want to multiply the days of action "because many workers cannot keep up with a rhythm so strong".
“One or two additional demonstrations of force” will be enough, according to him, to make the executive listen to reason.
It remains to convince the other union leaders, who will meet Tuesday evening at the headquarters of Force Ouvrière.
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