Social partners met on Thursday, February 19, at Unédic headquarters to discuss amicable separations, but differences remain. The government requires at least 400 million euros in savings, while employers target one billion per year. The path to an agreement on February 25 appears narrow.
Since early January, employers and unions have been negotiating to meet the government's demand for at least 400 million euros in savings on the amicable separation scheme, established in 2008. This mechanism allows for mutual agreement between employers and employees to end contracts.
During the penultimate session on Thursday, February 19, employers' organizations stuck to their goal of one billion euros in annual savings, which they consider achievable. To support this, they tabled a series of measures totaling over 4 billion euros. These proposals go beyond amicable separations, touching on regimes for cross-border workers and performing artists.
The suggestions have provoked strong responses. The CGT, through its confederal secretary Denis Gravouil, announced heightened mobilization for the final session on February 25. "The employers do not count on the CGT's signature to reduce the rights of the unemployed, but we will make as much noise as possible, proportional to the attack we are witnessing," he stated.
Despite these discussions, positions remain entrenched, making an agreement seem elusive before the deadline.
