The new Minister of Labor and Employment has already taken office. For now, unemployment insurance reform remains unclear. State of play!
How is the unemployment insurance reform progressing?
The transfer of power between the former Minister of Labor and Employment, Catherine Vautrin, and the new minister, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, took place on September 23. On the occasion, she had delivered an eloquent speech. In fact, the subject of unemployment insurance reform was not raised.
Remember that Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet was previously the Ensemble pour la République (EPR) MP. Today, she is part of Michel Barnier’s new government. Among the challenges it faces include: unemployment insurance and pension reforms.
Although it is a hot topic, the new minister has not yet given details on it. For this reason, the current operating conditions remain unchanged, at least until October 31, 2024. This is a temporary measure resulting from the decree of June 30, issued by former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
Will there be a further extension of the current text?
Thanks to this text, the current unemployment insurance rules (since February 2023) have been maintained until July 31, 2024. The former Prime Minister then issued another extension decree until the end of next month. At the time, the government of Gabriel Attal wanted to tighten the compensation rules, from 1is December 2024.
Unemployment insurance reform has been suspended. Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet criticized this measure before becoming Minister of Labor and Employment.
For his part, the president of the French Business Movement (Medef), Patrick Martin, explains: « I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that what a person says, in this case Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet when she was a deputy, is not necessarily what she will say and do as a minister.
The solution proposed by Medef consists of applying the protocol of understanding on unemployment insurance. Remember that this was signed on November 28, 2023 by the organization, the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) and the Union of Local Enterprises (U2P). Also worth mentioning, on the union side, are the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT), the French Confederation of Christian Workers (CFTC) and Force Ouvrière (FO).
Negotiations already underway…
Regarding pension reform, the new minister affirms that the government plans to “make the latest pension reform sustainable for all and respond to the anxieties it has generated, particularly among women”. Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet admits: « Working two more years in a country where, after the age of 55, you have the feeling that you no longer quite have your place in the world of work or, when the job you do is no longer tenable – because yes, there are jobs that are not sustainable for a lifetime – can appear very anxiety-inducing.”
Since September 24, the new minister has been present with Michel Barnier in Matignon, as part of interviews with trade unions and employers’ organizations. During her speech, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet openly expressed her desire to revive social democracy. To do this, it proposes restoring and consolidating the executive’s relations with the social partners.
Related News :