Laurent Berger, the leader of the CFDT trade union group, has called on the government to make a major gesture on pension reform, saying he will not accept any move towards conciliation with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne until the contested legislation is withdrawn.
The government is going to have to make a major effort on the retirement question, Berger said on national television on Monday morning.
"They are going to have to say 'the increase of the working life to 64 years' is off the table."
Berger was responding to an offer from PM Borne of talks aimed at reestablishing social peace, on the eve of another day of nationwide strike action against the reforms.
"I am worried about the situation," Berger admitted. "But I'm telling the president and the prime minister that there is a way out, and that it requires an effort on their part."
Berger has already suggested a six-month pause in the progress of the legislation to allow for a discussion of the whole field of work and retirement.
Rejecting the offer of peace made by Elisabeth Borne on Sunday, Berger said "what offer of peace? I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but what are we talking about? The problem at the moment is retirement.
Reform still to be validated by constitutional council
"If the offer of peace involves discussion of work and retirement, putting to one side the reform that was adopted by force and has not yet been validated by the constitutional watchdog, then we can talk.
"You don't think that, after having two million people on the streets last Thursday, that we won't talk about retirement if we're invited to discussions?"
Berger admits that the social climate is "dangerous, with growing anger" in the wake of the government's decision to adopt the retirement reform without a parliamentary vote.
"Let's not fall into the madness which could engulf the country with violence and a very deep social resentment.
"I believe we'd do better to bring the temperature down rather than to keep stoking the flames."
Asked if Tuesday's national strike action will be the last, Berger said he did not think so.
"We'll keep going until at least the decision by the constitutional council," which decides if proposed laws are in accordance with the basic law of the republic.
The council is expected to announce its decision on the retirement reforms within the next three weeks.
