Retirees demonstrate, the executive under pressure from his majority

Thousands of pensioners protested on Thursday against the rise of the CSG and plan to plan pensions next year, hoping to accentuate the "cracks"” came into the open between the government and some of the majority MPs.

"A life to work, a life to contribute and now racketeering": the sign seen in the Paris procession recalls those of the demonstrations of September 2017, March and June 2018.

As the previous three times, the same nine unions and retirees badociations (CGT, FO, CFTC, CFE-CGC, FSU, Solidarity, FGR, LSR and UNRPA) called for a "general mobilization” to defend "pensions in danger".

In the capital, between the Place de l'Opera and that of the Republic, the organizers counted Thursday afternoon 15,000 participants (3,500 according to the prefecture of police) under the sun, including major battalions of the CGT.

"I will fight until my retirement returns to its level before the rise of the CSG," said Michel, 76, a former employee of space research who said he lost 80 euros per month since January.

Claude, also 76 years old, loses him 850 euros a year, or "two weeks of holiday in gite” for this former worker in the aerospace industry.

"We are here to defend the few rights we fought for when we were working," says Rosine, a former social worker.

Other gatherings were planned in about fifty cities in mainland France. Local media counted 1,500 people in Bordeaux (800 according to the police), 500 in Pau and 400 in Bayonne. AFP journalists also counted 700 protesters in Perigueux and 200 in Marseille, while 300 people marched in Nantes, according to the police.

A mobilization below that of March 15, culmination of the movement that had gathered 200,000 participants according to the "group of nine".

"This is not a disappointment: there is still a hard core determined not to accept the measures of the government," said Didier Hotte, FO, who finds that these budget choices cause "crunches in the majority” parliamentary.

"Not the last day"

Some 20 LREM deputies tabled an amendment to the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) for 2019, introducing "more progressivity in CSG rates.” for pensioners, adopted against the opinion of the general rapporteur Olivier Véran.

This amendment, which will have to be voted on again in the hemicycle next week to be included in the PLFSS, is indicative of a disagreement on the "correction” promised by Edouard Philippe.

The Prime Minister conceded after March 15 a tax gesture for modest pensioners, which should affect 350,000 homes according to the PLFSS. But that does not change anything for about 60% of the 16 million pensioners, who receive no compensation from the rise in the CSG, and thus pay the contribution cuts for employees.

"They do not know where to take the subject, they feel that the retired electorate escapes them," said Michel Salingue, of the FGR.

Especially since retirees will still be involved next year to balance the accounts of the Secu: their basic pensions will be upgraded by only 0.3%, when the price increase should reach 1.3%.

The coup plan decided by the executive aims to save 2.8 billion euros and thus present a surplus budget for the first time since 2001.

In total, "in three years, a month of pension will have been taken in the pockets of pensioners", according to the organizers of the events of Thursday, who are already considering new mobilization dates.

"It will not be the last day of action," says Maud Giloux, CFE-CGC.

"We have no choice, because the budget is being negotiated at the moment," adds Jean-Pierre Floret, CGT.

A meeting is scheduled for November 5 to discuss possible "extensions” movement.

18/10/2018 20:39:56 –
Paris (AFP) –
© 2018 AFP