The most reformist union in France excludes any short-term resumption of discussions with Emmanuel Macron. The secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, warned the executive on Monday against the strong “resentment” within the world of work after the promulgation of the pension reform. “We can not pass the towel,” said the N.1 cedist.
“The world of work is still shocked, there are still a lot of people who demonstrated last Thursday, it is out of the question to go and discuss as if nothing had happened (…) there is resentment”, underlined the union official during an interview on France 2. The inter-union decided not to go to an invitation from the head of state at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday to try to renew the dialogue.
France faces a “democratic crisis”
“There is a period of decency,” said Laurent Berger, adding that the inter-union had given itself the horizon “after May 1”, the date of a new day of mobilization of opponents of the pension reform. Emmanuel Macron must address the French this Monday at 8 p.m., three days after the promulgation of the pension reform.
“We are asking the President of the Republic to preside and to govern other than by this verticality, to say what method of social consultation he will use, what concrete subjects he will put on the table to improve the lives of workers,” said affirmed Laurent Berger. This episode of the pension reform “has raised mistrust in the institutions”, while “social resentment has risen very strongly”, he underlined, believing that France is facing a “democratic crisis”.
“Breaking the House”
Asked about his call to “break the house” on May 1 during the next day of mobilization, the union official replied that this formula “is misinterpreted, I regret it”, while ensuring that there is ” no ambiguity, we condemn all forms of violence”.
He also clarified that the CFDT would not be associated with other events than the one scheduled for May 1. “I would like everyone to respect this press release from the intersyndicale” which recorded the principle “of a big day of mobilization on May 1”, underlined Laurent Berger, considering that there is “no crack but a requirement of collective rigor”.