A month after the first day of mobilization and while the debates on the pension reform ended Friday in the National Assembly, the secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, made a progress report, this Sunday, on BFMTV, in the program “BFM Politique”. The opportunity for him to tackle the Insoumis and Renaissance deputies and to project himself on the month of March and the general strike he calls for.
A tackle to the deputies and to Mélenchon
While the debates ended Friday in the National Assembly, Philippe Martinez believes that the absence of a vote on the postponement of the retirement age to 64 years “poses a problem”. Whose fault is it ? “First, there is a responsibility of the government which has chosen an accelerated procedure. Once this procedure is in place, members have to deal with it. The heart of this reform is article 7. The fact that there was no debate and vote on the 64th birthday poses a problem. We talk more about the atmosphere of the National Assembly than the substance of the problem, ”regrets the CGT leader.
“There is also the problem of the deputies who did not want to go as far as Article 7. There was a desire not to go there in order to appropriate this social movement and put the trade union organizations in the background “, he believes.
Asked about the argument that putting Article 7 to a vote was tantamount to running the risk that it would be adopted and demobilize the demonstrators, Martinez denounced the process. “It is typically wanting to interfere in inter-union relations. Members had to face up to their responsibilities. Between Mélenchon and the trade union movement, things are not going very well, ”he says about the figure of La France insoumise.
The senior index “is useless”
“Basically, this index is useless. The question is what sanction we apply to these companies which release thousands of employees with public funds, ”explains the union official. As a reminder, the deputies voted against article 2 of the reform, which planned to set up an index in companies to fight against unemployment among seniors. A setback for the government.
“There is also a need to reflect on the meaning of work, assures Philippe Martinez. And it’s not just about the hard jobs. Of course, employees agree to leave as soon as they are offered. Sometimes there are even more volunteers than people to send. »
Long careers: “The government has tripped over the carpet”
“There is a concession”, notes the secretary general of the CGT, referring to the reduction of the contribution period for certain people who started working early compared to the initial project. “It’s not good, it’s less bad,” he asserts, however. “It’s like the 1200 euros. There is a difference between an increase for some and a floor. The government has tripped over the carpet. »
France stopped on March 7: “We must move up a gear”
The leader of the CGT insists on the fact that the call for a massive strike on March 7 is a call to “bring France to a halt”, an expression he prefers to the term “blockage”. “It is the term of the inter-union. We need millions of strikers. Everyone I’ve met has that date in mind. »
“Millions of people marched. Why is the government not listening? If millions of demonstrators are not enough, we must move up a gear, ”insists Philippe Martinez.
After March 7: “We do not agree with the CFDT on the forms of struggle”
Uncertainty remains about what will happen after the day of March 7. Calls for a renewable strike have already been launched in several sectors such as refineries and transport. Its follow-up, including in other sectors, “will depend on the employees”, insists Philippe Martinez, who recalls that the heads of trade union organizations only give indications on the course that they see fit to follow.
On the very principle of the renewable strike, the boss of the CGT notes the fact that “on the forms of struggle, we do not agree” with the CFDT. This could weigh on the unity of the trade union front which has existed since the start of the ongoing protest against the pension reform.
Moreover, if the law ends up being adopted, the CGT does not guarantee that it will put an end to the mobilization. ” We’ll see. Other texts have been voted “and not applied, recalls Martinez. The example of the CPE, the first employment contract, in 2006, is thus mentioned. The text had been withdrawn after a strong mobilization, despite its adoption by parliament.
Finally, Philippe Martinez assured that the congress of his union, scheduled for the end of March, will not interfere with the involvement of the CGT in the event of an extension of the social movement. “If it is still strong, the CGT will be present. “Regarding his personal case, as he prepares to hand over, he says he has no “news from Renault”, his employer. “They have to think about what position to put me in. In any case, retirement cannot be for him immediately. “You need both the legal age and the trimesters. I still have quarters to contribute. »