000 will remain affiliated with the Ircantec

Solution profile to address the issue of supplementary pensions of the contractual employees of the post. Become anonymous society March 1, the company had in the wake amend the rules of the game for its contracted agents, i.e. those who are not civil servants. They are 154.000, nearly half of the workforce, and currently, contribute to their supplementary pension to the Ircantec. By becoming a private company, the position was to theoretically change scheme for all employees, from the Ircantec to Agirc-Arrco the supplementary scheme of the employees of the private sector.

This change would have very poorly accepted by the unions of the public company, as conditions are less favourable. Social contributions by employees and employers would have been greater and lower pensions. The transfer would have also threatened the balance of the Ircantec. Post numbers represent indeed less than 7 of the contributors of the system but more than a third of its margin. They perform almost 150 million euros of contribution and cost less than 50 million in benefits. Supplementary pensions paid by the Ircantec are still low because current pensioners are contributed shortly - the plan was established in 1970 to non-licensed agents of the State and communities.

Agreement on a compensation

A compromise was found, late last year, in the vote of the change in status of the position in Parliament ("Les Echos" from November 3). Current employees 154.000 will remain affiliated with the Ircantec. New hires, they will be the responsibility of the Agirc-Arrco.

A crucial point was left to resolve. Even if it is limited to the hired future, the transfer will penalize the Ircantec, which will take more than new contributors to fill its coffers. The Agirc-Arrco should pay him compensation, for long decades - until the death of the last hired retired to La Poste by March 2010, which leads to the dawn of the next century! Parliament has given until June 30, 2010, two plans to negotiate the compensation.

The discussions were not parties: Agirc-Arrco wanted less than 2 billion euros, the Ircantec claimed up to 8 billion balance! And the controversy began to swell. Retreats backup, a liberal association seeking "a free, responsible and fair pension system", even referred to a "rule looting" of the Agirc-Arrco - and therefore pensions in the private sector - by the Ircantec, representative of the public sector. On the eve of a major reform of the pension system, the Executive could not afford to be attacked on this front.

A solution therefore was found, which the Government is favourable. Instead of calculating compensation for any account balance, managers of the two schemes have agreed to meet annually to assess accurately the loss of one and the gain of the other. The Ircantec payments are very low early - a few million euros. And Agirc-Arrco may not lead to unpleasant surprises (which may be the case when a balance is paid for any account balance). It remains to translate this agreement in principle in a text specifically laying down the procedures for the compensation by the summer.