Les négociations collectives et les politiques publiques face aux «conséquences sociales » de la crise économique

Abstract

A criticism often addressed to the French system of collective bargaining is that it would respond to a logic of protection of the rights of the insiders and would attribute to the state the burden of outsiders. The economic recession which explodes in 2008 is a significant experience since the sharing out of responsibilities is challenged under the impact of a rude shock. Experience of the years 2008 and 2009 does not validate the hypothesis of a division of tasks between state and "social partners". In almost all areas, policies are negotiated between state, employer organizations and trade unions justifying the hypothesis of hidden tripartite responses to the crisis. Therefore, the degree of complexity and irrationality of modes of intervention and financing has grown significantly. Today, each function is shared between the various actors with multi-faceted co-financing. This split system is subject to sometimes conflicting logics that are defined by loosely coordinated actors. The borders between programmes are arbitrary and unstable. Rights and status of persons covered (or non-covered) are heterogeneous and prove incompatible with the efficient management of labour market transitions. Deficiencies, waste of efforts and resources, as well as unjustified inequalities result from this stack of disparate initiatives. Copyright 2010 Presses de Sciences Po. All rights reserved.