Employers and unions reached, on Tuesday evening, a draft common position to relaunch their June 2023 agreement on the work accidents and occupational diseases (AT-MP) branch of Social Security, blocked by a problem legislative transposition.
The May 2023 agreement was to see one of its provisions, concerning the pension paid to employees who are victims of a work accident or occupational illness, transposed into the 2024 Social Security budget (LFSS), voted by Parliament in the fall of 2023. But this transposition could not take place, the government proposing a wording criticized by associations of victims of work accidents or occupational illnesses, and by unions.
Favorable opinion from Medef and CFDT
Faced with the blockage, the signatories to the agreement resumed negotiations to arrive at a more precise version. According to employers and unions, a “ record of decisions » was finalized on Tuesday evening and will be submitted for approval to the various employers’ and trade union organizations, then sent to the government for transcription in the next Social Security financing bill.
« I am hopeful that all organizations » unions and employers « gives his agreement », Declared to the press, Yves Laqueille, (Medef), the leader of the employers’ delegation.
Isabelle Mercier, negotiator for the CFDT, for her part indicated that she “ would give a favorable opinion » on the text. “ We are improving repair significantly » for work accidents and occupational diseases, and there are “ important advances » as in particular “ taking care of the need for support » people after an accident or occupational illness, she said.
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The CGT wants to take the time “to evaluate the text”
The CGT, which signed the June 2023 agreement, indicated for its part that it “ was going to take the time to evaluate the text to measure what employees » concerned by the work accident or occupational disease « will have to gain », in the words of its negotiator Denis Gravouil.
Unions and employers want to regain control of the management of the AT-MP branch of Social Security, to distribute the surpluses themselves. In 2023, this branch, almost entirely financed by employer contributions, had a surplus of 1.4 billion euros. In a context of significant public deficits in relation to European commitments, the government for its part is trying to limit spending as much as possible.
Seniors over-represented in serious accidents at work
According to the Public Health Observatory of the Mutualité Française, seniors are particularly affected by permanent disabilities or deaths linked to work accidents. In figures, 41% of permanent disabilities and 58% of deaths, which result from a work accident, concern a victim aged over 50. The only good news is that the number of workplace accidents decreases with age. Those over 50 represent 25% of total workplace accidents, while these senior workers constitute 29% of employees.
(With AFP)
