- Title: French PM, unions fail to break pension strike deadlock as Christmas looms
- Date: 19th December 2019
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FRENCH PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD PHILIPPE ARRIVING FOR MEETING WITH UNIONS HEAD OF CGT UNION PHILIPPE MARTINEZ ARRIVING FOR MEETING WINDOWS OF HOTEL MATIGNON, WHERE PRIME MINISTER HOLDS OFFICE HEAD OF CFDT UNION LAURENT BERGER ARRIVING FOR MEETING PHILIPPE, HEALTH SECRETARY AGNES BUZYN, MINISTER IN CHARGE OF PENSION REFORM LAURENT PIETRASZEWSKI, UNION LEADERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN ROUND TABLE MEETING WINDOW OF MATIGNON MATIGNON PERSONNEL BEHIND WINDOW PHILIPPE ARRIVING TO MAKE STATEMENT JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD PHILIPPE, SAYING: "I can already observe that these past days' discussions have allowed us to achieve concrete progress - first on the subject of work-related hardships. We have decided to make it one of the pillars of the universal pension system, around a very simple principle - that when we take on a hard job in the private or public sector - this will open up the same rights to everyone." PHILIPPE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD PHILIPPE, SAYING: "Since the launch of the reform and despite opposition, I have been very clear - the government will not back down on the elimination of special regimes. However I reiterate my desire to implement this elimination in a non-brutal manner. And we will be able to do it." (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD PHILIPPE, SAYING: "The balanced budget in the pension system is a priority for the president and for the government. We are talking about new rights, we are talking about the future of a new system and its robustness." PHOTOGRAPHERS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD PHILIPPE, SAYING: "The progress that we have made should allow for work to recommence in the public sector. I know the dedication of workers in these companies to the continuity of public services- it's not lip service; and to the idea of general interest - which is not lip service either. I then call on each one's sense of responsibility, to very quickly allow the millions of French people who want to join their families in this holiday season." LEFT-WING CGT UNION LEADER, PHILIPPE MARTINEZ, EXITING AND WALKING TO MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) LEFT-WING CGT UNION LEADER, PHILIPPE MARTINEZ, SAYING: "Lots of promises, always promises for everyone, nothing concrete, the only thing that is concrete is that the prime minister hasn't heard what the street is saying and so we have to face our responsibilities." (SOUNDBITE) (French) LEFT-WING CGT UNION LEADER, PHILIPPE MARTINEZ, SAYING: "As you know the CGT does not share this project and so, in the name of the inter-union, I can tell you that another day of action will take place on January 9th." BERGER WALKING TO MICROPHONE PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (French) HEAD OF CENTRE-LEFT UNION SCFDT, LAURENT BERGER, SAYING: "As I've said before, the thing that is vexing is the disagreement on the question of the age of equilibrium. There's a disagreement on the moment which consists of saying that there would be an urgent need for punitive measures for the workers." CAMERAMAN FILMING
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 19:40
- Keywords: CFDT CGT Christmas holidays general strike negotiations pension reform unions
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAN8I13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French unions said strikes that have crippled the transport system will continue over the Christmas holidays after talks with the government on Thursday (December 19) failed to break the deadlock over a planned overhaul of the pension system.
Two weeks of nationwide industrial action in France have disrupted railways and roads, shut some schools and brought more than half a million people onto the streets to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's wide-ranging reform plan.
After a meeting with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the leader of the hardline CGT union, Philippe Martinez, said unions had decided to hold more strikes and demonstrations on Jan. 9.
"The prime minister hasn't heard what the street is saying," Martinez told reporters.
Laurent Berger, leader of the more moderate CFDT, refrained from calling for demonstrations on Jan. 9 but said he still disagreed with the government's aim of encouraging people to work until age 64 before they draw a full pension.
Philippe told a news conference his government remains fully committed to restoring the financial balance of the pensions system and to ending special pension regimes under which some workers can retire up to a decade before others.
He said progress had been made with the unions and that he hoped any remaining disagreements could be overcome during new talks in January. Philippe hopes parliament can vote on the pension reform law by summer at the latest.
Philippe also reiterated a plea to unions to suspend transport strikes during the holidays.
"I then call on each one's sense of responsibility, to very quickly allow the millions of French people who want to join their families in this holiday season," he said.
But a statement from the CGT-led union coalition said there would be no return to work over the festive period, when millions of people rely on France's extensive network of high-speed trains to spend the holiday with their families.
UNSA, the second-biggest union at railway company SNCF, however called for a truce over Christmas, which could alleviate some transport misery.
Unions oppose Macron's plans to streamline France's state pension system and push people to work until 64, despite being allowed to legally retire by the age of 62.
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