The plan to postpone the retirement age to 64 raises the question of the employment of seniors. And that’s a real problem. Older employees are no longer welcome. Those looking for work do not see the end of the tunnel. In Haute-Vienne, only one worker in five over the age of 60 is employed.
The more the end of the career looms, the more difficult it is to maintain employment. When it is not a question of finding one … A subject highlighted with the government’s pension reform project. A saving virtue because being old and on the job market plunges many working people into disarray, regardless of their qualifications.
This is the case of Pierre Monsel, a former executive in a large company in Limoges. He explains that he was pushed out by his employer. After a heart attack, he was fired for incapacity at the age of 62.
The workforce reductions have deteriorated the working atmosphere and the health of the remaining employees. “thehurt to leave knowing that we are not being replaced and that the work will be sprinkled on the remains. There is not even any more transmission between the generations, he laments. The objective was to reduce the payroll through early and negotiated departures.“
When we are 58 years old, even if we are going to live longer. Our knees, our shoulders, our heart, our brain… they are 58 years old. With ever-increasing pressure on employees, like working ever faster.
Pierre Monsel, former executive in a large company
No other choice but to register with Pôle emploi. “Finally, it is the community that pays for what is commonly called degreasing“, concludes Pierre, bitter. A shame for these assets who would like to work. A loss of income, too. And sometimes the feeling of being stigmatized because “too old“.
Nordin Zemani makes the same observation. This salesman found himself unemployed when his employer filed for bankruptcy. Of these long months of uncertainty, he only received “no offer of employment or training.”
Today he considers himself happy to have been able to bounce back, but he will demonstrate on Thursday January 19, out of solidarity, for all those who have not had this chance.
People are leaving a little earlier than expected. They get a check. Then register as unemployed until retirement, until they validate the number of quarters of contribution necessary.
Pierre Monsel, former executive in a large company
Just over half of 55-64 year olds worked in 2022, according to Insee and Pôle emploi. But the older you get, the lower the rate. In Haute-Vienne, only 23% of people over 60 are employed.
However, it should be noted that the national trend is upwards with the decline in the retirement age and the lengthening of the years of contribution made over the past 30 years. In 2001, 1 out of 3 seniors was employed according to Dares. A rate that rose to 41% in 2010 and therefore more than 50% today.
“There are a lot of seniors who want to continue working, so they have to be helped to stay employed. And today companies are not encouraged to do so”observed Nordin Zemani.
Difficult for him to believe the latest announcements. At the same time as the reform project, the government presented the creation of an index to locate and motivate the recruitment of seniors. In large companies from this year then medium-sized companies from 2024.
