Another priority population young people

The increase in the number of jobseekers in November and December of some 50,000, or two thirds of the annual increase in 2010, led the Executive to amend its strategy. 2011 would be a year of transition towards a return to a more modest employment policy. It is not. The Executive is to increase its budget of EUR 500 million to the envelope in the initial finance law. This is the price to the priority given to the decline in unemployment.

The estimates of employment in 2010 should represent 11.4 billion euros (to which were added over $ 1 billion recovery credits), but it skidded $ 1.3 billion. In 2011, it should be limited to 11.4 billion. But beware, warned Nicolas Sarkozy: the extension for this year shall be offset by savings of same magnitude on other budgetary missions, already very forced. The Government responded by now because the brutal brake given the fall kick last contract with the help of the merchant and non-market sectors (CAE - CUI) has largely contributed to the poor figures for unemployment at the end of 2010.

Among the measures that this boost will enable finance figure the first in a rising envelope of assisted jobs. Scope to near 520.000 in 2010, it should be reduced to 390,000 this year. The President of the Republic yesterday announced that additional contracts would be released. Some 60,000 more are envisaged, mainly for the long-term unemployed and "youth of neighbourhoods. The Government wants to propose to the departments to undertake to fund with contracts for the beneficiaries of the RSA ("Les Echos" from February 3).

The head of State asked pole employment receive all long-term unemployed "within three months" (they are 1.5 million into categories A, B and C) with the key "either a proposal for qualifying training or employment." Another priority population: young people. Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed the creation of a "bonus malus" system for the apprenticeship tax companies: those who have more young people (as their duty) alternating "will have a reduction of their expenses", those who do not meet their quota "will have a malus". The status of the apprentice will also be improved, as expected (housing, including), with the construction of "dozens of centres of learning." Nicolas Sarkozy wants to pass 600,000 young alternating "1 million". Without fixed maturity. The Government objective was to 800,000 by 2015.

In a situation that remains very uncertain, the Government will therefore again user social treatment of unemployment, which is not the cup of tea from the right. In addition to the relaunch of the assisted contracts, will also ask a substantive debate: what action will be taken to ensure that these contracts are of actual pathways of sustainable return to work It is all the more important that the number of long-term job-seekers should not cease to grow. There is the issue of a further action by the Minister of labour, Xavier Bertrand, regularly evokes the 250,000 non-equipped with job opportunities (the head of State has advanced the figure of 500,000 yesterday): reduction of time to respond to the companies that want to hire. This will be another shipyard for pole employment.