Primary Health Insurance Fund.
- Hello? Good morning. - Good morning.
I'm on sick leave and I need to know...
- Social Security number? - I'm Mrs Mayol.
- Your number. - Wait.
- 2 49 01 34... - Putting you through DC.
- Through what? - The DC department.
- Daily compensation. - Hello?
- Yes?
Miss?
I'm on sick leave and I haven't received...
- What's your number? - My number?
SOLIDARITY IN QUESTION
MONTPELLIER (HÉRAULT DÉPARTEMENT) - JUNE 1982
REGIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
SOCIAL SECURITY
PRIMARY HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
Good morning. I have a question.
I've been unemployed for a year. Am I covered for my recent accident?
- Do you receive unemployment benefits? - Yes.
Then you are, as long as you get unemployment benefits,
and for a year afterwards.
I'll be reimbursed then.
- Yes. I'll keep these papers. - Thanks.
For retirement,
go across the hall, to the Old-Age Fund.
Over there.
Let's retrace your husband's career.
Was he employed in the general scheme?
No. He started out as a farm worker in 1936.
That's for the Farmers' Fund.
OK. Then he quit because he was ill,
he went to an apprentice training centre
to become an electrician.
He worked for a company for 3 or 4 years
then he became self-employed.
So, he'll receive several pensions because he's belonged...
- Excuse me. - ...to several...
I've been waiting for an hour. It's an emergency.
- It's very unusual. - I'm not finished with this lady.
But it's unprecedented.
I never knew Social Security could withdraw money from an account.
The bank has sent me this. It's very simple.
This is about my mother.
She got her pension then it was withdrawn.
Nobody ever notified her.
You must wait for your turn. We'll explain...
Why was that money withdrawn without any notice?
Go back to the waiting area.
OK, then. But I wish you'd be quick.
PINET (HÉRAULT DÉPARTEMENT) JUNE 1982
We farm 200 acres of vineyards
spread over several estates.
My family's always owned them.
It's hard because we employ only 7 farm workers.
Four years ago, there were 10 of us.
Since 1970,
employers' social contributions have multiplied by 6.
In the same period,
the price of ordinary wine hasn't even doubled.
So, I can't hire new workers.
And we're competing against Italian wine.
To try and make ends meet,
we've increased our wine's quality and we bottle it on site.
Of course, we have to sell it, at fairs and markets.
We need to take on both marketing and production,
which adds to our work.
Yves!
Why are you alone?
Joseph has just gone home. His belly was bothering him.
His hernia...
It's the fourth time since the New Year.
He really needs surgery, which means another 2 months off work.
Oh dear!
- What's wrong? - Joseph is ill again.
It's his hernia again.
He stopped working an hour ago. Yves has just told me.
He's going to see the doctor. I guess he needs surgery.
That's 2 or 3 months sick leave.
We should hire someone else but it's tough,
because of those Social Security contributions.
It wouldn't be sensible.
Selling the wine takes up all your time.
I have my own work but I'll try and do more...
GANGES (HÉRAULT DÉPARTEMENT) JUNE 1982
We make stockings, tights, socks,
and we strive to make quality products.
We're trying to attract young customers,
with new colours and patterns.
There used to be about 60 of us in our company.
Nowadays, we're down to 30.
We're going through hard times
because of significant competition from other countries,
either from Asia or from behind the Iron Curtain.
But you need to try and survive anyway.
Here's an example.
For monthly wages of 3, 000 francs
we need to pay
an additional 75 % in social contributions,
30 % of which to Social Security,
which puts a strain on our cost prices.
The French value social protection a lot.
But it comes with a risk.
Initiative withers,
as does the fighting spirit.
We ought to come to an insurance system,
like in countries such as the US.
Americans can choose the insurance they take out.
It's restrictive but people don't get used to handouts.
IN THE LOUNGE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOLIDARITY
PARIS (JUNE 1982)
When employment doesn't go well, solidarity can't go well.
That's because it is financed from wages.
Drawing on this to attack Social Security,
means that you aren't aware of the way people view it.
People in this country have contributed for some 30 odd years
to gain protection.
What for?
To retire,
and some have even requested and obtained
retirement at age 60.
To start a family.
Welcoming a child
is investing in our country's wealth.
And people want to receive good or even better health care,
in a more egalitarian manner.
That's what they are paying for with Social Security.
It's something the French value highly.
Of course, it's a big endeavour.
The sums involved
equal or even exceed the national budget.
But it wouldn't be right
to view it as a burden bearing on companies and the economy.
For the most part, that money is injected back into the economy.
Think about it.
Without retirement pensions,
the inhabitants of whole villages would have nothing to spend.
Then, what about local shops?
What about hospitals or children facilities?
They are financed by health insurance,
and maintain jobs
that bring life in such or such a place.
Let's refrain from a simplistic view of Social Security.
It is part of our society,
like schools and the country's great undertakings.
Let's keep in mind what it was like before Social Security.
Ask your father or grandfather
whose parents had no retirement pension.
I live here,
in the Clair Mont d'Hérault home
because I worked my whole life.
It's my only rest.
Let me close that window. The children make a lot of noise.
They're unbearable.
They don't work and then, they annoy us.
Who pays your pension?
Who pays my pension?
I've contributed enough, all year long.
Still, you moan about young people.
But they're paying contributions from which your pension is paid to you.
But when you've contributed... They withheld some of my money.
So now they can pay me a pension.
And I can live here. A nice place it is too.
I used to work in a factory, a weaving plant.
But I was too young then.
So each time inspectors came to the plant,
they would lock me up in the water-closet.
They hired me out of pity to work by the day,
because I was without a father.
I see. And you didn't have enough...
Not enough to eat. Only my mother worked, by the day.
Who paid for your care after your thumb accident?
It's the work insurance.
But who paid?
The insurance paid by the factory.
- The boss, then. - The boss.
- The workplace insurance? - Yes, the boss's insurance.
- That's it. - He paid for my half days.
I was paid half days only instead of whole days.
I get them now.
And who paid for your mother when she was ill?
The town, because she was destitute.
I would come home from work,
and Mum would say that there wasn't even a piece of bread,
so I would say: "I'll get some bread".
I went to knock on the vicar's door,
and he gave me a bread coupon.
HONOUR TO WORK
Three centuries ago, Colbert founded the cloth factory of Villeneuvette.
It operated until 1950.
Its last owners, the Maistre family, still live here.
Everything was grouped around the factory.
Parish and community life, school, leisure,
and workers' housing.
Surrounded by walls,
its heavy, studded door was closed to the outside world.
I knew this village very well.
As a young country doctor during the war,
I came here to treat old workers.
They had been born in the last century,
and they told me about the past.
Here lies Casimir Maistre.
We and our workers are of the same family.
This little town was a major example of paternalism in the late 19th century.
You must admit that it was an improvement
on the savage capitalism that ruled then.
When a worker fell ill,
he wasn't sentenced to death by starvation anymore.
He was treated.
But in return for protection that was real, concrete, moral
and symbolized by locked doors at night,
he lacked freedom and was considered a minor.
I practiced medicine in this room for 40 years.
Now that I'm retired,
I sort through files and stir up memories.
You need to be aware that, in the first years,
there was no Social Security.
When you were ill, you turned to your savings and charity,
notably your doctor's charity.
It wasn't a total social desert though.
We had social laws, there were specific schemes.
Social insurance came into being in 1927.
But only a small portion of the workers' population was insured.
So 1945 was a big turning point.
A great date,
even if we didn't realise immediately how important it was.
We substituted the idea of individual savings
for generalized and collective social coverage.
A total change in mindset.
From then on,
the greatest part of workers obtained social coverage.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2ND, 1945
PÉTAIN ON TRIAL
CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY
THE PEOPLE'S THIRST AND HUNGER FOR JUSTICE
HEALTH FOR ALL
THE USSR WANTS PEACE
THE RIGHT TO REST
HAPPY OLD-AGE THANKS TO TODAY'S LAW
THE CONSTITUTION IS ADOPTED BY 309 TO 249 VOTES.
SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT FOR ALL
The founding of Social Security in 1945
is a historical event for workers.
It resulted from years of struggle.
Finally we gained social coverage against illness and old-age.
It was fabulous!
SOCIAL SECURITY PROTECTS WORKERS AGAINST SOCIAL SCOURGES
Why are there so many schemes left?
Again, think back to that time.
We were faced with reluctance
from people who valued pre-existing schemes.
Others feared collectivization.
Bit by bit, everybody came to realise that social coverage was necessary.
All workers' categories gradually came around,
hence the many differences.
- What about ham? - I've just had the machine fixed.
A new machine would be a big investment, you know.
It's working OK now.
It was a bit loose here but...
Guy fixed it for me. It's as good as new now.
Here you go.
May I ask you a few questions about your Social Security scheme?
It's mostly my wife who takes care of it.
I deal with supplies,
sales and customer relationships.
You should ask my wife at the till.
32.30 Francs.
What's your and your husband's Social Security scheme?
My husband's a shop keeper so he's with the self-employed scheme.
I'm his employee,
so I'm with the general Social Security scheme.
How did you get there?
It's because of recent laws about wives of self-employed people.
What are the advantages?
It's pretty expensive because of all the URSSAF contributions,
but I have better coverage, so it's still beneficial.
It's very complicated. How do you keep up?
My commercial training helps a lot. I'm an accountant.
I like my work.
I subscribe to trade magazines that keep me up-to-date.
And I've made enquiries with each organisation.
- Good morning, ladies. - Good morning.
Hello, Xavier, how are you?
- OK. - And the vineyard?
Oh, the vineyard! It's growing, a little.
That's all. You've just reminded me.
- What is it? - From Mutualité, about domestic help.
I can't understand it.
I don't have time right now. I'm going to a local meeting.
Let me take it to Montpellier and fix it for you.
- OK? - Good.
I've seen Célestine Durand. She asks for domestic help.
Indeed, I have her file here.
Célestine Durand, 80 years old. She's a widow and she's ill.
- What about the hospital? - She'd rather stay at home.
Sending her to the hospital would uproot her.
It'll be cheaper for the Mutualité. Hospital days are expensive.
The elderly dislike the hospital. They want to stay home.
The hospital is a big problem.
Listen. She has modest means.
We could grant her 15 hours. What do you say?
- OK. - That's settled, then.
How did you become a member of the local MSA commission?
We are all farmers.
We were elected on the local level by other farmers.
Above us, there's a district level.
The board is in Montpellier.
Board members are elected
by district representatives.
What does the local commission do?
We examine requests for loans, and domestic help, informal appeals.
Recently, we had a campaign against tetanus.
At the moment, there's a campaign against...
- Pesticides. - Exactly.
How is the MSA financed, Mr President?
One third of it is financed
by contributions.
The rest comes from the government and general scheme.
It is only normal for the general scheme to help the agriculture scheme.
There are no more young people in the country,
and they contribute to the general scheme.
You spend much time on the commission. Does the MSA pay you?
No, we are all volunteers.
We are the MSA.
Our members
can't be mere numbers.
In the general scheme, they don't elect their representatives.
That's the difference.
- Are you insured? - With the general scheme.
Do you know that you're represented on the board?
No, but I know that I contribute.
There's a difference between gross and net pay.
- It brings you advantages though. - It does. I'm on long term illness.
Without it, I couldn't have my vertebrae treated.
I have half my wages for 3 years.
- It's important for you. - Very.
Are insured persons represented on the board?
Yes, representatives take up half of the seats.
- Employers occupy the rest. - Are you aware of an upcoming change?
It is about going back to the situation before 1967.
Insured people would vote
and have more seats.
At the moment, worker representatives are chosen by trade unions.
CGT representatives:
- Mr Despringre. - Yes.
- Mr Fassanaro. - I'm here.
- Mr Millet. - Present.
FO representatives:
- Mr Pourtalier. - Present.
Mr Gabino.
CFDT: Mr Bur.
- Mr Mathieu. - Present.
CFTC: Mr Valatte.
We have many projects.
The most interesting one
is to repeal the 1967 ordinances.
I totally agree.
... to give back to the insured
the majority in Social Security Funds.
For this, we need to organise elections.
What's at stake?
To let insured people take responsibility for Social Security.
That's the right word.
Because it isn't a public service like the others.
It is financed from contributions,
from money withdrawn from the insured's wages.
It's only normal to be represented there.
- Of course. - What about the deficit?
It is true that we always have a problem of imbalance
in Social Security finances.
It is due to a different evolution of expenses and receipts.
Common sense!
Social Security expenses depend on people's rights,
and the way they want to exercise them.
On the contrary, as I've just said,
receipts depend on jobs and wages.
If employment suffers, Social Security receipts are low.
Could we reduce expenses, especially those related to healthcare?
- Yes. - That's it.
We can certainly imagine,
not diminishing the extent of protection,
but wasting less.
Users need to agree with us on this.
That's not the end of it though.
Good protection must be paid for.
Here, she admits it.
What do you think?
We all know that the Social Security deficit is large,
Nicole Questiaux mentioned it.
- Georges, you're a doctor. - Please, sit down.
Do you think that we'll ever reduce it?
Start to eat though!
It's difficult.
First, we need to take on technical and social progress.
Then, we need to practice quality medicine.
Doctors dislike being held responsible for Social Security deficit.
However, regarding squandering,
they're perfectly happy to collaborate with Social Security,
to ensure a concerted control over expenses.
Indeed, when we cure an elderly person,
our work isn't economically profitable
but humanly, it is.
Shouldn't people feel more responsible though?
True, and Nicole Questiaux used the word "responsibility".
We think that, in our individual work,
it is crucial to give patients responsibility
by allowing them to manage their health with us.
On an institutional level, we'd like medical users
to take on Social Security
and become responsible in non monetary ways, just like before.
That's what we're hoping from the Social Security reform,
to move people from handouts to responsibility.
Responsibility, yes, but it will need much tact,
for people not to feel guilty about their or their relatives' illness.
I'm thinking about the mother of a disabled child
who gets a monthly Social Security expense report.
She views it as a criticism. It feels a bit cruel to me.
FIRST NAME : CRISTI FAMILY NAME : HORINE - AUTHOR
ODILE KIRCHNER AUTHOR
MICHELINE PAINTAULT AUTHOR
MARTINE TAUGERON PRODUCTION CONSULTANT
EDITH KRAUSSE IMAGE TECHNICIAN
ALAIN WEILL IMAGE TECHNICIAN
NICOLAS STERN IMAGE TECHNICIAN
GEORGES FILLATRE ELECTRICIAN
CHRISTIAN KASZUBA ELECTRICIAN
YOSKA TURNER GRIP
MARIE-ODILE DUPONT SOUND TECHNICIAN
JEAN-MARC BAUDOIN SOUND TECHNICIAN
JACQUES TOUROVSKY SOUND TECHNICIAN
JOSETTE JOURDAN EDITOR
ROGER BELLON MUSICIAN
RAYMONDE TENDRON PRODUCTION MANAGER
JEAN-DENIS BERRENBAUM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
MICHELINE PAINTAULT DIRECTOR
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE INHABITANTS OF L'HÉRAULT FOR THEIR COLLABORATION.