On July 1, a 1.9% increase in unemployment benefits was deemed insufficient by CGT.

A new increase, but which is still considered insufficient. Unemployment benefits will be increased by 1.9% on July 1, to the chagrin of unions who have been demanding an increase at least equivalent to inflation, the CGT announced on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at a board meeting of Unédic. This follows an exceptional revaluation of 1.9% on April 1 (and 2.9% in July 2022), but remains below the high inflation rate of 5.1% y/y in May.

“Only the employers’ organizations voted for this completely insufficient revaluation, while all workers’ organizations abstained (a vote against one trade union organization would have led to the rejection of the revaluation of the allowances),” the CGT said in a statement. . During a rally organized in front of Unédic’s headquarters, union general secretary Sophie Binet denounced the “huge scandal” and attacked employers who refuse to return to the rules on unemployment benefits stemming from the last two reforms.

Reducing the compensation period at the center of disputes

Starting February 1st, qualifying applicants will be eligible for a 25% reduction in the duration of compensation. In 2021, another reform changed the calculation of benefits, penalizing those who alternated periods of unemployment and employment.

The government is due to send a “framework letter” to the social partners in the coming weeks to revise the unemployment insurance rules, which expire on December 31st. If no agreement is reached at the end of the negotiations, the government will decide on the rules.

But the agreement seems to have gotten off to a bad start. “Employers only want to negotiate the management of Unédic, not compensation rules. He prefers the government to do all the dirty work for him,” the CGT boss denounced.

“But we will not agree to discuss management unless we discuss compensation rules,” she warned. This topic will be on the menu of Wednesday’s videoconference between union and employer leaders, who are to discuss the agenda for negotiations to start the school year.