French unions have expressed strong disapproval of the publication of an essay titled Sauver la démocratie sociale, co-authored by economist Gilbert Cette, sociologist Guy Groux, and Richard Robert. Released on January 21, the book criticizes employee organizations for yielding to the temptations of contestation and proposes reducing their number while more strictly regulating the right to strike. This controversy embarrasses the executive, as it affects the Conseil d'orientation des retraites, chaired by Mr. Cette.
The publication of the book Sauver la démocratie sociale, published by Calmann-Lévy in 220 pages for 19.50 euros, has provoked a strong backlash from French unions. Co-authored by Gilbert Cette, president of the Conseil d'orientation des retraites (COR), sociologist Guy Groux, and Richard Robert, editor-in-chief of the online review Telos, the essay delivers a harsh assessment of social democracy, describing it as having « naufrage » or shipwrecked. The authors argue that employee organizations struggle to forge ambitious agreements.
At the company level, the Macron ordinances of September 2017 have indeed boosted the number of collective agreements, encouraging negotiations closer to workplaces. Yet, according to the authors, very few of these deals incorporate « innovations sociales » or social innovations. Unions particularly object to the three co-authors' recommendations, including one to restrict the exercise of the right to strike and another to reduce the number of employee organizations.
Relations between Gilbert Cette and the unions were already strained prior to this release. The controversy spills over to the COR, a consultative body that includes worker representatives, causing embarrassment for the executive. Unions view these proposals as an assault on their roles, labeling the book a « brûlot » or incendiary tract that sternly lectures employee organizations for their « discours hors sol » or disconnected rhetoric.
