The unavoidable site of pensions on lesechos

Attention, minefield. It is with determination but walking on eggs that Eric Woerth and Georges Tron today launch the consultation of trade unions of civil servants on the pension reform. In a climate very tense in the public sector, the Minister of public service and his Secretary of State sought in recent weeks, to reassure officers, promising not to "scapegoats of the reform" and banning "caricatured comparisons" between diet and the private sector.

They did in are no less determined, reform "just and equitable" promised to the French, to continue the "rapprochement" between the two systems began in 2003. In other words: to crop on some benefits over time, the 5.2 million of public servants.

"Everything will be on the table".

Despite the unanimous opposition of unions, the Executive has already warned that any increase in the duration of contribution or deferral of the age would also apply to officials. But, beyond, buffeted between the search for national equity and respect for specific characteristics of the public, the Rue de Grenelle rest blurred the fate reserved for many features of public plans (read below). "Some are justified by objective reasons, others are rather the legacy of historical situations which it is necessary to see if they are still justified," says Eric Woerth. "Everything will be on the table", promises, so that no subject is taboo for trade unions ensure that nothing is still decided.

These very reassembled but divided, have a first reason for satisfaction: a broad overhaul of the pension calculation mode (based on the last six months of wages against the best 25 years in the private sector) now seems to be excluded, even if arrangements are not excluded. The Executive knows that this approach would be complex, potentially expensive (it should return the premiums in the calculation) and not necessarily justified: contrary to conventional wisdom, this method of calculation is not always better than that of the private sector.

Other stronger tracks charting. Starting with a possible increase in the retirement assessment officers, one of the few options that unions open door. The Government might be tempted to speed up the timetable on criteria where convergence with the private sector is already launched, as the discount if a departure before its quarterly.

Deemed anachronistic privileges

Will be also considered the abolition of privileges now considered anachronistic. The possibility for the mothers of three children to go to retirement after 15 years of service (established in 1924 to support post-war birth) could be in the viewfinder. As the increase in duration of officials abroad and overseas insurance, dating back to the time of the colonial empire. Unions could release the ballast on these points.

Discussions on the other hand announce very tough on the case of the "active" categories (police officers, controllers, fire, prison guards, etc.). These personal - approximately 10 of officials - can go 50 or 55 years and this option is deeply rooted in the social history of officials. The State remains very careful on these potentially conflicting issues. But he knows that its ability to deliver or not question these anticipated departures will be a strong political marker of the reform.

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