A strong demand of the unions but not employers

The third social Summit since the crisis took place yesterday in the Elysee Palace in a significantly different atmosphere of the previous. February 18, unions were glorified the success of their mobilization late January, tension was obviously less this time, in view of the shortness of social protest. As expected, Nicolas Sarkozy did not have concrete announcement, but he has given several directions. "I wish that Christine Lagarde and Laurent Wauquiez examine with you the means to extend the contract of professional transition to new employment basins (CTP), or even to bring in still the reclassification convention custom (CRP)", he thus indicated. "I think, like you, we can do even more to improve partial activity, mobilize the training or help professional transitions", he explained. The head of State also "accepted that there are discussions open on the precarious access" to the CTP and the CRP. A strong demand of the unions, but not employers. The President stressed that he was first a responsibility of the social partners who manage the UI and not the State. Shortly before the Summit, the Medef had agreed to improve the compensation of the custom reclassification convention (CRP), destined for victims of economic dismissal employees. A way to evade the other asked trade unions, namely the support of the CSD and the interim end-of-mission.

Surprise of the Summit, while the debate seemed closed, Nicolas Sarkozy agreed the launch of a tripartite (Government-unions-employers) conditionality discussion aid sought by the unions. The Elysee observed that the different positions are very remote on the particularly thorny subject, but that the employers agreed to talk about. Will be also discussed the terms of the relief of social charges.

Flat-rate reductions

According to Jean-François Roubaud (CGPME), this discussion will need to be "identical cost" and must have the purpose to "avoid traps to low wages". In the day, the UPA (Artisan) had found "totally indispensable" to retain the exemptions from employer social security contributions but said he was "ready to evolve the current exemptions scheme to go to flat-rate reductions applicable to the whole of the wages, to not indirectly halt the progression of wages".

Then the CGPME also requested measures for the employment of young people, "which is a real problem for the term", Nicolas Sarkozy said in his introductory remarks, that it was "too early" to take stock of emergency adopted mid-April, but accepted a discussion on the issue of the tutoring of young people in a rotation of seniors. He will receive Henri Proglio July 15 with businesses and industries that will be incurred on the alternation.

Nicolas Sarkozy, who also expected for July 15 the proposals of the social partners on the Division of the value in the company, suggested that a further delay was possible. This discussion patina, employers and unions are in complete disagreement. Christine Lagarde and Xavier Darcos will be responsible to all parties to "assess the chances of success for an extension of the deadline given to the social partners", explains the Elysee.

Also opening the debate on the "priorities for the future" which will be funded by the large debt, Nicolas Sarkozy indicated that a commission chaired by two high personalities"reflect on these priorities and" will have to conduct all necessary expertise in drawing including international best practices. "