Key demands of ALEBA in terms of employment

On June 28, a major inter-union demonstration will be held in Luxembourg. Roberto Mendolia and Jean-Jacques Rieff, president and vice president of the ALEBA union, respectively, detail the five main points behind this mobilization. At the heart of the demands are Sunday opening, employee representation, pension reform, a single tax bracket, and the adjustment of tax barriers.

Sunday opening: a social upheaval

The first demand concerns Sunday opening hours for shops. According to Roberto Mendolia, this measure challenges a long-established social balance: "The whole of society is adapted to one day off per week." The impact is felt on family life, particularly for cross-border workers who have to travel for just four hours of work. The system requires two teams to cover a day, which complicates organization.

Jean-Jacques Rieff proposes a solution: negotiatingSunday opening on a company-by-company basis through collective agreements, rather than imposing a unilateral measure.

Union representation: towards equal participation

The second point raised is the representation of employees in collective bargaining negotiations. Currently, only national unions are automatically admitted to the negotiating table. However, some representatives elected by employees are unable to participate because they do not have sufficient representativeness.

Roberto Mendolia denounces a biased system that excludes democratically elected representatives. He calls for all representatives with elected members within the scope of an agreement to be able to participate in discussions, in the name of respect for pluralistic representation.

Pension reform: a refusal to work longer

Pension reform is at the heart of the protest. According to Jean-Jacques Rieff, despite its stated commitment to consultation, the government is imposing a simple measure: making people work longer. This unilateral decision has been met with widespread opposition. The unions are proposing several alternative ways of financing retirement pensions:

• Increase the contribution rate from 8% to 9% for employees, employers, and the state.
• Removing the contribution ceiling set at five times the minimum wage to include high earners.
• Taxing superprofits, particularly those linked to artificial intelligence.
• Strengthen pillars 2 and 3 of the pension system (particularly company pension plans).

Single tax bracket: for a fairer tax system

The issue of a single tax bracket is a recurring topic. Currently, taxpayers in bracket 1 are taxed the most. Trade unions are calling for each taxpayer to be taxed individually, a measure considered to be fairer.

Jean-Jacques Rieff deplores the government's inaction on this issue, despite promises made over several terms of office. Roberto Mendolia calls for the rapid establishment of working groups to move forward with this reform.

Tax barriers and indexation: catching up

Finally, the last demand concerns the adjustment of tax barriers. Each time the index jumps, tax brackets are not automatically adjusted, resulting in a net increase in taxation for everyone.

Roberto Mendolia points to a delay of five to six index jumps. He is calling for the adjustment of tax barriers to become automatic. Although the government has initiated measures, they remain insufficient and unsystematic.

Key points to remember

• Anticipate negotiations: Sunday opening must be decided collectively, not imposed.
• Strengthen representation: All employee representatives should participate in collective bargaining discussions.
• Diversify retirement solutions: Raising the retirement age should not be the only option.
• Reform taxation: A single tax bracket could lead to greater fairness.
• Automatically adjust tax brackets: To avoid a disguised tax increase.

This demonstration on June 28 reflects a clear desire on the part of the unions: to put social dialogue back at the center of decision-making and to propose concrete alternatives to the changes being imposed.