It is time to enter the era of pragmatism

What is the State of health of the UIMM, four months after the outbreak of the scandal relating to the 19 million euros taken cash from her bank accounts

The UIMM crossed several months of tension. After having been affected by the revelations of the fall, men and women that make up today turned to the future, in an extremely positive attitude. In December, the UIMM has been an exemplary electoral process, with real transparent debate that led to my election. This sobered everyone. Our Board and our Office come to decide on my proposal to engage the Organization on the road to modernity. The 19 and 20 March, General States will enable all of its components, large, medium and small industries, federations and labour Chambers land to an innovative and powerful project to, more that in the past, the values of the industry and Metallurgy in particular.

Last week of your predecessor, Denis Gautier-Sauvagnac, is the indictment a new blow

It is a logical continuation of the proceedings. This review is a surprise for my predecessor or the UIMM.

Is it to say that the page is already

The page is turning, indeed! The approach that we will enable us, by the end of March, to define new conditions of operation, new articles, new governance, the necessary conditions for our financial transparency... In a word: the UIMM of tomorrow. But this is not everything. We set our priorities for action to fulfil our role of defence and enhancement of the interests of our members.

What are you going to make to prevent the practices of the past

To go on a healthy basis, I hired a full audit of our accounts and procedures from a financial, legal and tax point of view with the Mazars firm. My goal is to, as soon as possible, our accounts to certify and to achieve total transparency!

What will you do the 617 EUR represents, with its stock portfolio, the Fund of assistance of the UIMM case

The question is premature as long as we do not know the amount and nature of these resources. Taking the figures published in the press, this is a lot of money.

Has the UIMM lost its influence And, if so, how do you intend to back the slope

I do not feel that our influence has declined when I look at the agreement recently reached between the employers and trade unions on the modernization of the labour market. We participated very actively in the negotiation, and the expertise of the UIMM has not been set aside, although instead!

Denis Gautier-Sauvagnac is always delegated General. When will it be replaced in this position

The recruitment of a new General delegate is a priority. I commissioned a firm of headhunters and implemented a recruitment Committee to quickly resolve this issue. Soon we will have found, the better it will be. Currently, Denis Gautier-Sauvagnac ships routine. He will retire as soon as his successor will be found, I hope here to March 20.

What profile are you looking for

The position requires many qualities. I wish that the future General delegate can commit for a decade at least, that he knows the workings of collective bargaining with the Government's decision, and that operational experience of the company.

Michel de Virville, which sits on your desktop and has just been appointed to the chairmanship of the Social Committee of the Medef, fulfil these criteria

He is also approached to the Unedic. His skills are outstanding, but it cannot do everything.

How do you envisage your relationship with the Medef

I already discussed several times with Laurence Parisot. The UIMM must maintain natural relationships with the Medef. It is to take into account, so firm and constructive, the interests of the industry. Regardless of the weight of the sectors represented in employers, metallurgy has always been very active in social negotiation. For historical reasons, expertise is useful to everyone. This would be a shame to deprive.

Is social dialogue changing in France

The recent negotiation on the labour market is very important with regard to the method. We have taken the subjects in order to examine one by one, and then we worked on what was not and, finally, we tried to find the best solutions. This is because the subjects were fully identified that they have been treated successfully. The period of deliberation

prior has proved decisive and should become systematic in the future. Pragmatism and effectiveness must now prevail! For the upcoming reform of vocational training, for example, the UIMM already commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to audit, to determine if, in our industry, the training system is effective and if it meets the needs of our members.

The contract of employment, what are, in your eyes, the most important points of the agreement

It certainly paves the way for a greater securing of breach of contract conditions: more great security with new conventional break opportunities and progressive diversion of the procedure. The text gives more flexibility, but also more security, employers, in their relationship with employees. Conventional breakdown and specific purpose contract are quite positive.

Are you disappointed, as some leaders, by the economic policy of Nicolas Sarkozy

I'm not disappointed because the game is far from over. The results of a policy are never immediate. Many sites have been opened and, if they are successful, the France will be transformed in depth. However, I also think that should go faster to the reform of the State and public communities, as the pyramid of ages is now a unique opportunity to move forward.

I also believe that it would be good for our country, for our companies and employees working there, that we tackle very quickly the modalities of financing of our social systems. The taxation of course is good for all: it expands financing base, reducing the cost of the work for the company and increases the net salary for the employee.

The policy of the offer by the employers soon yet to materialize, it also...

It's true! Our industry needs a more voluntary action on two fundamental points. The simplification of the Labour Code, first. More will be room for negotiation between social partners, will be more likely to simplify the laws and regulations. Then, relief from taxes and duties affecting factors of production. In an increasingly globalized world, we must all put in place to make our industry more competitive! It is necessary. Industrialized countries with which we are in competition are in a much more favourable position in this matter. Nevertheless, it would be a little simplistic to make a French problem.

Parity entering is today, with the price of raw materials, a vital challenge. Europe does not view the role that enterprises expect. Force let, it penalizes the European economy... and supports the other. It is high time to act!

What is the responsibility of enterprises in the 40 billion euro deficit in external trade in 2007

Want to make the Government solely responsible for this situation would be unreasonable. There is not that the economic environment that creates trade and it is the whole of the French economy which is at issue. A number of global factors to penalize as the weight of the loads. But, in some cases, the specialization of our companies is less well suited to international trade and in other countries. It is primarily the accumulation of microeconomic factors that problem.

What analysis do you of the situation of the France

The France lives the situation of a rich country that is struggling to find new growth springs. However the situation is not bad per se. We need to find a collective dynamic which businesses have, I believe sincerely desire to participate. When I look at the components of our growth and our level of inflation, I think that our country is not so evil!

Do you recognize that there is a problem of sharing between profits and wages

The President of the Republic wants to increase the participation in the business, this is a way to ask the question of the Division that you discuss. I support this increase. But it is the overall question of what amounts to employees, shareholders and the company must be asked. And from this point of view, divide revenues into thirds, as mentioned by Nicolas Sarkozy, this may not work. This does not correspond to the reality of business. What is there between a business low labour content and a high labour content The French company is rich in its diversity, its industry also. It is time to enter the era of pragmatism!