Pensions: Medef does not want to touch the retirement age of 64
The Medef (French employers' association) has made its decision. The main employer representative does not intend to change the legal retirement age of 64, while the "conclave" on this issue is entering its final phase, it indicates in a document listing its proposals released Tuesday, June 10. The Medef, however, says it is ready to move forward "on professional wear and tear" and "ensure that motherhood does not impact women's career paths."
There are only three sessions left of the "conclave" between employers and unions, Wednesday and Thursday this week, then on June 17, to rediscuss the contested 2023 reform which had pushed back the legal retirement age from 62 to 64. "In a spirit of responsibility for our country" , the Medef recommends "maintaining the legal retirement age at 64" .
For the future, "and drawing inspiration from what is happening among our European neighbours" , the Medef also proposes "automatically indexing the retirement age (legal age and length of insurance) on the evolution of objective criteria relating to demographics and the labour market" , without giving any numerical illustration.
Regarding professional wear and tear, the Medef (French employers' association) measures "that there is a high level of expectation among trade unions ." The employers' representative says he is ready "to move forward ," aware "that there are professional situations that are more demanding than others and can have an impact on health." The Medef proposes, in particular, to review the professional prevention account so that it takes into account the handling of heavy loads, awkward postures, or mechanical vibrations. It also proposes to modify the incapacity/disability system "which currently concerns nearly one in seven people who liquidate their retirement" so that the retirement age increases to 61, and not 62 as it is today.
On the "subject of women" , the Medef says its "priority" is to "ensure that maternity does not impact career progression" . The Medef suggests "allowing women who have acquired additional quarters linked to maternity to benefit from an improvement in their pension level by modifying the calculation of the average annual salary" . The latter would "no longer be calculated on the basis of the 25 best years but on 23 or 24 years, which will mechanically improve their pension level" . To finance the additional cost, "the parental surcharge from the age of 63, introduced by the Borne reform, would be abolished (neutralizing the financial impact)" , proposes the Medef.
The pensions "conclave," which began on February 27 and was originally scheduled to end on May 28, has seen its share of slammed doors, with the early departures of FO and the CGT , on the union side, and of the U2P, on the employers' side for the craftsmen. Only five participants remain: Medef and CPME (small and medium-sized enterprises) for the employers, CFDT, CFTC and CFE-CGC on the employees' side.
La Croıx
