Opinion of Cyril Chabanier, President of the CFTC
Our country, and especially its “politico-media” microcosm, has this astonishing ability to become passionate about topics that suddenly emerge like trends. It only takes a spark for a mechanism of mimicry to set in, where the accessory obscures the essential. These heated debates, which saturate the auditory and visual space for a few days, however, represent only a tiny part of the deep issues we face.
The 1st of May perfectly illustrates this vexing habit. A parliamentary debate turned into a showdown over a bill aiming, originally, to expand exemptions to mandatory rest starting in 2026. While the Minister of Labor eventually abandoned this reform for the year 2026, the government, however, postponed the issue to 2027, leaving it in the hands of certain sectors. Thus, social partners in the artisanal bakery-pastry and florist artisan sectors could, by agreement, join the categories of “absolute necessity” (hospitals, firefighters, transportation…) already authorized to waive rest on May 1st.
This downward revision of government ambition owes a lot to consultation with trade unions, particularly the CFTC! We were heard and managed to reduce the number of sectors involved. Above all, and as everyone knows, the opening of branch negotiations does not foreshadow the signing of agreements allowing employees to work on May 1st.
Without wanting to replace the CFTC branch negotiators, I will reiterate the position I defended during this showdown: we reject this “domino effect” that would lead to a generalization of work on May 1st. This day must retain its exceptional and symbolic character. The defense of collective sanctified rest is at the heart of our vision of the “value of work”: for work to be recognized at its true value, it must necessarily be accompanied by guaranteed disconnection time and social life for all!
I would add that the economic arguments put forward do not withstand analysis. If we must yield to “politico-media” trends, let us prefer the essential over the accessory. Two figures should have captured our attention, as they pose a real threat to growth and employment: 500,000 business leaders, employing over 3 million employees, will have to pass the baton in the coming decade.
Instead of wanting to “help out” a consumer buying a baguette or a bouquet one day a year, the government and social partners would do better, for the other 364 days, to remove obstacles to business succession! By facilitating mechanisms that allow employees to take over their own tools of work and thus save their jobs.
