The work of seniors is debated

On the grounds that nothing was planned on the question of extending contribution periods for seniors after the pension reform, the government refused to approve the agreement between the social partners on the financing of unemployment insurance . Negotiations will resume in 2024.

Concerned about reducing public spending, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, proposed reducing the duration of compensation for those over 55. A political trick, which can be explained by the government’s objective (which we can only share) of reducing the unemployment rate from 7% today to 5%. The employment rate of 55-64 year olds in France is 16 points lower than that of Germany. We must therefore put seniors back to work. But by limiting the problem to its most simplistic and demagogic dimension – seniors would prefer to be paid for doing nothing, compensating them for a shorter period would therefore cost less – the government forgets the real reason for senior unemployment: everything is growing today. today companies to part with it.

The solution lies in dialogue between social partners. This involves developing the tools that will enable retirements and good coordination between generations to be organized very early within companies. An objective achievable thanks to mentoring schemes, gradual cessation of activity, alternation with teaching functions or even a universal time savings account, based on the model of the personal training account.

The State must simply set a dissuasive cost of dismissal when it concerns a senior, and create sufficient incentive for the company to keep them on its workforce. A way for public authorities to respect their commitments and reduce public spending. Because this will not decrease simply because of the reduction in the duration of compensation for unemployed seniors: they would fall into poverty and would then benefit from solidarity schemes. By significantly increasing the cost of dismissing those over 55, the government will more surely avoid a downgrade of France’s rating by the rating agencies, which would increase the already very heavy debt burden.