Was Emmanuel Macron looking to re-establish ties with the unions or to widen, a little more, the chasm that exists between him and them? In the interview granted, Wednesday, March 22, to TF1 and France 2, on the eve of a ninth day of mobilization against the pension reform, the Head of State seemed to want to reach out to the organizations of employees in inviting them to open discussions about the work. But he also criticized them for not having been credible interlocutors on the subject of the transformation of pension schemes – which he reiterated was ” necessary “. Furthermore, he castigated “the rebels” et “factions” who rage in the demonstrations. So many remarks which only heightened the anger – already very strong – of all those responsible for workers’ movements.
With regard to his project on pensions, the President of the Republic regretted that the unions had not presented “compromise proposals” during the consultations between the government and the social partners in the fall of 2022. Mr. Macron also targeted Laurent Berger, the secretary general of the CFDT, arguing that he “had gone before his congress”in Lyon, in June 2022, to suggest “to increase the duration [de cotisation requises afin d’avoir droit à une pension à taux plein] ». “He was not followed (…) but he had this desire to make people work more »completed the tenant of the Elysée.
“Denial and lie! »got carried away by Mr. Berger, on the social network Twitter, a few minutes after the interview with the Head of State. “That is factually false. And it is inappropriate to point to a union official in an intervention”, added the cedist official to the 8 p.m. television news on France 2. He recalled that his organization had “offered a compromise” et “another reform, which was moreover [celle] of the President of the Republic in 2017”, in reference to the latter’s project, aimed at establishing a universal system, during the previous five-year term. Subtext: on this issue, Mr. Macron’s doctrine is distinguished by its inconstancy and lack of consistency.
The other confederations reacted with the same vigor. During a joint speech, on the sidelines of the CFE-CGC congress in Tours, the president of this union, François Hommeril, and Philippe Martinez, the number one of the CGT – who was among the guests -, had very direct words, revealing the acuteness of their exasperation. “This interview is a joke and contempt for the millions of people who demonstrate”, said Mr. Martinez. Mr. Hommeril, he said to himself “very shocked” and wielded irony: “Emmanuel Macron acts as if nothing had happened for two months. As if the earth had stopped turning. He went to the moon. Maybe he was with Thomas Pesquet [le spationaute]. »
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