In Sochaux in the Doubs, the Stellantis factory is the largest company in Franche-Comté. The pension reform which pushes back the retirement age of employees, managers and workers to 64 years old in 2030 is struggling to pass.
Throughout France, the day after the presentation of the pension reform, the battle is on: the unanimous unions are preparing to protest from Thursday January 19, with strikes and in the streets, against the postponement of the legal age. at age 64.
At the entrance to the Sochaux factory, the cradle of the Peugeot brand, the workers are massively opposed to this reform. At Stellantis, a senior leave agreement allows employees who have acquired their full rights to leave up to 3 years before retirement, while being paid. According to figures provided by the unions, in 2018, 1,300 employees of Stellantis Sochaux were over 55 years old. Hardship comes back on everyone’s lips.
“In what physical condition are we going out? We work in a factory, where we have to produce. The pace of work is very strong. People are already struggling. I have a colleague who leaves at 61, you have to see in what condition! So 64 or even 67 years old!” worries an employee interviewed by our journalist Emilien Diaz.
“I am very disappointed with this reform, disappointed that everyone is leaving at the same time. There is a moment, we must take into account the hardship, for the employees who are on the production lines, these people will die before enjoying retirement” indignantly another Sochaux employee. “I don’t see how we are not going to make unemployment worse by making people work longer,” adds the man.
For the Sochaux unions, the mobilization on January 19 is essential. Even though the government ensures that hardship is taken into account, and improved through this upcoming reform.
For Benoît Vernier, CFDT, the reform beyond the retirement age of 64 poses other problems, precarious contracts, gender equality. “Let’s get back around a table to find a compromise, to move the system, to make it fairer,” he summarizes.
“The solution is not to modify the retirement age, even less to modify the number of quarters contributed, it is to find employment, to employ employees, young people. If we employ them, they will contribute” adds Eric Peultier of the FO Stellantis Sochaux union.
The pension reform and its bill will be presented to the Council of Ministers on January 23.