Retirees still mobilized for pension increases

The World with AFP Posted today at 17h35

Time to Reading 2 min.

"Retirement at age 60", "revaluation of pensions", "pensioners are not rich"… Tuesday, October 8, for the eighth time since the beginning of the five years of Emmanuel Macron, pensioners were called to demonstrate everywhere in France to claim a general increase in pensions in a new day of action decided by nine organizations.

In Paris, several hundred people left the Boulevard du Montparnasse around 15 hours to join the Invalides at the call of nine unions and retiree associations: the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), Force Ouvrière (FO), the French Confederation Christian Workers (CFTC), the French Confederation of Management – General Confederation of Managers (CFE-CGC), the Unitary Trade Union Federation (FSU), the Union Syndicale Solidaires, the General Federation of Retired Persons (FGR), Leisure and Pensioners' Solidarity (LSR) and the National Union of Retired and Elderly People (UNRPA). Other rallies are expected everywhere in France, the "group of 9" relying on 120 to 150 events, as the previous times.

It has already obtained a decline in the government on the generalized social contribution (CSG) – reduced for some retirees – and the reindexation of pensions of less than 2,000 euros on the inflation forecast in the draft Social Security budget for 2020.

But their claim remains the same: an increase in all pensions, including the reindexation of all pensions on inflation and the outright removal of the rise in the CSG.

"Everything is increasing, but not our resources"

"If retirees are back on the street, it's because we have a lot of litigation with the government about purchasing power. Even though there were two small setbacks, that's not satisfactory, " said Olivier Jouchter, of the confederation of pensioners of the CGT, Agence France-Presse (AFP).

They also claim a "Catching up losses suffered on 1^st January 2020 », the "Revaluation of all pensions according to the evolution of wages", "A minimum pension at the level of the smic for a complete career" or "The immediate hiring of 40,000 people as requested by the staff of Ehpad (residential facilities for dependent elderly people) and home care ».

"Regularly, there is an erosion, a loss of purchasing power. Everything is increasing, but not our resources, estimated in the procession Patrick, 69, of the CFE-CGC, rising against "The increase of the CSG for so-called rich and non-indexation of pensions on inflation".

A " point position " is scheduled on November 21 in the capital with delegations from all departments, to reflect on the continuation of the movement. Thursday, the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT) had organized, alone, demonstrations in several cities to claim a catching up of pensions in relation to inflation and the rise of the CSG.