World of work - Social Struggles ---- For thirty years, political managers right and left
lead a liberal capitalist offensive in favor of the propertied and ruling classes at the
expense of the vast majority of the population. With the crisis, the capitalist attacks
accelerate and harden in order to preserve profit margins of companies, and so satisfy the
bosses and shareholders. Holland and his government lead unsurprisingly the same policy,
barely hiding behind a "social dialogue" facade. Since the beginning of five years, the
return to growth by enhancing business competitiveness and fiscal discipline on public
spending are indeed their own slogans. Thus, gifts are linked to employers, either by
reductions in taxes or the destruction of the rights of workers, via the so-called "job
security" law. On the other hand, it is the people who drink with the increase in VAT,
cuts in public spending, and the dismantling of the welfare system.
Economic and fiscal policies in favor of employers
Last year, the government decided to drop a $ 20 billion tax burdens on business through
the creation of tax credit-Enterprise Competitiveness. This shortfall in the budget
expenditure of the State was supported by the entire population, as offset by fiscal
restraint on public spending and the increase in VAT. In fact, since January 2014, the
standard rate increased from 19.6% to 20%, and the intermediate rate was increased from 7%
to 10%. As for the reduced rate applies to products considered essential, but it should be
lowered according to the first announcement, finally remained at 5.5%.
The alleged purpose of this tax policy is to allow companies and those who have wealth to
invest and thus create economic development and employment. In fact, there is no proven
correlation between tax cuts for the wealthy and the investments they perform. Instead, a
portion of cash made available is often reinvested in financial speculation rather than
new investments. Indeed, at a time when the application is idle, this practice appears
more profitable for employers and shareholders to engage in new investments and create
short-term hires. But if the application is idle, it is because the majority of the
population in France as in Europe is suffering the consequences of the crisis and
austerity measures imposed for a minority continues to garner profits. Moreover, even
boxes that hit the CICE this year continued to shed jobs as La Poste or Auchan.
Extending and even accentuating the economic policy, the main measure of the "Covenant of
Responsibility" presented at the beginning of year by Fran?ois Hollande is to provide EUR
30 billion per year to employers of private enterprises, which corresponds to the amount
of employer contributions to fund the "family business" of Social Security. Combining the
exemption of some of these social security contributions and the tax credit, the final
form of the gift is not yet decided. In all cases, it is indeed a flight of 30 billion
euros per year against remuneration workers, since employer contributions are a part of
the salary called "deferred" or still "socialized" redistributed because the entire
population. For example, the family branch of the Social Security is now referred pays
between other family benefits, housing subsidies, aid to services such as cr?ches and
social centers, and also organizes the payment of minimum. The system of social
protection, from the struggles and social relations of power that followed the crisis of
1929 and the Second World War, organizes pieces of redistribution of wealth in society.
This reform is an attack more against him and is not a step towards dismantling.
If the issue of financing such a reduction in contributions is still pending, at first it
was indeed the employees, the unemployed and retired will pay $ 30 billion received by
bankers and shareholders, either by removing social benefits, increased employee
contributions, or freezing salaries, allowances and pensions. In the longer term, the
"hole" created Social Security will be the excuse for further reforms of rigor and a
decrease in welfare. In a logic of liberalization, the long-term goal is to establish an
insurance system and private savings through which capitalists hope to make many profits.
For the population, this would result in a further worsening of social problems and
inequalities to access to housing, healthcare, education.
Regarding counterparties "Pact of responsibility," the text signed by employers and three
trade unions ( CFDT, CFE-CGC and CFTC) proposed simple "toolkits", type "consultations in
some occupations," no commitment to provide results to evaluate job creation or even to
conclude an agreement of branches since a simple "signed statement concluded" may
suffire1. In addition, the MEDEF or professional branches have no power of coercion with
regard to their members, which demonstrates that there is nothing to expect from these
so-called counterparties. Finally, the text also provides a "simplified employee
representative bodies," such as works councils, the Delegate Staff, the Committee for
Health, Safety and Working Conditions, which will mean probably a weakening of these
instances. Already far now to be tools that allow effective control of workers on working
conditions, restructuring suggests a further reduction of the rights acquired by the
struggles for the greatest happiness of the employers. It has in fact never accepted any
challenge to its authority in the company. He dreams of returning to a situation before
1936 and the institution of representatives, or at least before 1968 and the establishment
of union branches, and fights constantly to restrict the rights and opportunities against
power-employee.
Organizing a real transfer of wealth from the working class in favor of the employers, the
government has already announced the continuation of its policy of fiscal discipline by
reducing 50 billion public spending between 2015 and 2017, which will affect not only the
sphere of the state, but also the social sphere and the local authorities. Meanwhile, the
socialist government with its recent reforms apply a genuine policy of destruction of all
social conquests of the 20th century.
Casse labor rights and social rights
The law called "job security", adopted in May 2013, is a major regression of labor law.
Layoffs, forced mobility, social plans, wage cuts are indeed greatly facilitated for the
employers, and the time for legal challenge to the worker ? ? s are greatly reduced. In
addition, the company agreement is now predominant on the branch agreement and the law,
which increases inequality of rights between employees. For example, Sanofi have recently
borne the brunt of this new law. With the sole signature of two unions (CFDT and CFC), the
"Plan for backup jobs" has been validated in a very short and without recourse period,
confirming the deletion of hundreds of jobs; and despite the opposition to the
restructuring plan of the company unanimously Central Committee, and reports removing the
economic argument of Sanofi.
Regarding the pension reform adopted in fall 2013, she enrolled in the extension of the
Fillon law of 2003 which provided for the extension of the contribution period until 2020,
and brings the contribution period to 43 years in 2035 for a full pension. This measure
will result either to work longer, and therefore postpone the effective age of retirement,
or decrease the level of pensions. Indeed, the system cuts off discount pensions not
complete depending on the number of missing quarters careers. However, many e ? ? ? its
employee s, with high unemployment and rising insecurity, have short and discontinuous
careers and do not already come to gather the required number of years. In fact, half the
people are out of work when they liquidate their retirement, as companies seek to get rid
of the old employees. Finally, the entry into working life takes place later in life. The
increase in the contribution period thus resulting in a reduced pension as many. This
degradation will be experienced more acutely by women, as they are particularly affected
by short careers, and part-time staple.
Additionally, two measures have directly reduced the amount of pensions. The first six
months of deferred pension increases in line with inflation. The second is the taxation of
the 10% increase of pensions for parents of three children. It is estimated that these
measures will lose EUR 2.7 billion in retiree each year. Finally, since January 1,
employee contributions increased by 0.15 points and 0.05 points increase for three years,
for a total increase of 0.3 percentage points.
Finally, negotiations to develop the convention Un?dic 2014-2017 began on January 17.
Employers play a power relationship and discussed proposals are restricted to limit the
right to unemployment insurance, regardless of the proposed reforms: degression,
lengthening the contribution period required for the opening of rights stricter criteria
of "active job search" downward harmonization removing annexes temporary and intermittent
entertainment ... The attack against specific plans employees interim and intermittents
is one of the big challenges of reform. Deletion in fact lead to a decline in unemployment
benefits by 20% for interim rates, and significantly worsen the precarious intermittent
particularly affected by the use of s very short and the CSD voltage current employment
situation.
At the same time, the political and economic elites, relayed by the mainstream media, have
attempted to show that the current compensation for the unemployed represent a high cost
to society . Yet 4 billion deficit Un?dic are little under 30 billion gift to employers.
Moreover, unemployment, as well as the degradation of working conditions, lower tariffs,
and flexibility are the same impact on the willingness of capitalists to reduce production
costs to always reap more profits.
Faced with the capitalist logic, refuse austerity measures and fight for an egalitarian
society
All the latest reforms in Holland are part of the liberal capitalist logic. Increase the
"business competitiveness" actually means the competition of all workers internationally.
This allows to organize in France as in other countries on the one hand the decrease in
employee compensations, the case of labor rights and the facilitation of layoffs, and
other enrichment employers and shareholders. In the midst of a crisis that has its roots
in the contradictions of capitalism, those who have the economic power fiercely defend
their interests; the purpose of shareholders and bosses are indeed continue to make
profits by capturing short-term the largest possible share of wealth. And they always
demand more action in their favor and against the vast majority of the population. And it
is this that follow the States, right and left, therefore the balance of power in favor of
economic leaders in capitalist society and convergence of class interests policy.
To undergo more degradation of our lives, the case of labor rights, to not see the
economic and social problems worsen, and insecurity is widespread, it is with the current
capitalist system and state with which we have to break . It is in this perspective that
we need to organize against all austerity measures, reversing the relationship of social
forces and build an egalitarian society, managed directly by everyone, without private or
state ownership.
The UAF group Montpellier
1.
http://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2014/03/05/pacte-de-responsabilite-un-accord-entre-patronat-et-syndicat-a-ete-signe_4378257_3234.html
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