This Saturday, November 16, 2024, around fifty people demonstrated in front of the Perpignan headquarters of Medef to protest against the unemployment insurance reform project. While negotiations on the subject have just resulted in a criticized agreement between the employers’ organization and certain unions.
In the Catalan country, where the unemployment rate exceeds 12% (compared to 7% nationally), the reform of the compensation system for people deprived of employment is a particularly sensitive issue. This Saturday, as part of the mobilization organized against this reform in front of the Perpignan headquarters of Medef, the spokespersons of the five unions at the initiative of the rally (CGT, FSU, Solidaires, CNT and CNT-SO) did not minced their words.
The agreement that the employers’ organization and certain unions reached on the subject during the night from Thursday to Friday unsurprisingly found itself under fire from criticism. “Medef has, as usual, pulled the plug on itself by obtaining a reduction in employer contributions of 0.05%, which represents a saving of 1.5 billion per year for employers, castigates Pascal Schmitt, of the CGT. Furthermore, the State wants to save 400 million euros on unemployment insurance, even though it would not even be in deficit if it compensated for the exemptions granted to employers.”
Christelle Lara, from FSU, is on the same line. “In addition, these savings will impact the most vulnerable, women, intermittent workers, seasonal workers, cross-border workers and beneficiaries of the senior allowance, she lists. This reform aims to bring the world of work to its knees, to force applicants to accept any job, even the most poorly paid, and to restrict salary expectations.”
As an alternative, the unions are pleading for “the end of employer exemptions”.
