An increase of 0.9% in January, the unions demand a “real boost”

If the minimum wage will automatically increase by 0.9% in January due to the rise in prices, after 2.2% in October, the two unions, FO and CGT, are demanding a “real boost” from the government, which has always been against it.

Following the acceleration of inflation in November – 2.8% over one year – confirmed on Wednesday by INSEE, the monthly minimum wage will automatically rise to 1,603 euros gross for 35 hours per week on January 1, i.e. an increase of 14 euros compared to October 1. Compared to January 1, 2021, this increase will be 49 euros gross. The employee will receive 1,269 euros net per month, or 38 euros more, says the Ministry of Labor. The gross hourly rate will be 10.57 euros.

Two million people affected in 2021

The minimum wage benefits each year from a mechanical increase which takes into account the inflation observed for the 20% of households with the lowest incomes between the last revaluation and the month of November. As, on October 1, the minimum wage had been exceptionally increased by 2.2% due to a price increase of more than 2% between November 2020 and August 2021, the price increase taken into account this time relates only to the months of September, October and November.

According to a Dares study published on Friday, some 2.04 million workers, or 12% of private sector employees, had benefited from the 1% revaluation on January 1, 2021. The beneficiaries are more numerous in small businesses, among part-time employees and among women. The government can choose to go beyond this automatic increase, but the panel of economists consulted before each increase spoke out last week against this possibility – as every time since its first opinion in 2008.

“False reasons to discourage any salary boost”

These economists consider that a “boost” would be “detrimental to the employment of the most vulnerable”, especially since it could “no longer be offset by a drop in employer social contributions, which have reached the maximum threshold at minimum wage ”.

This argument exasperates FO, the CGT or even Solidaires who, in a joint press release, denounced a “committee of experts which always finds false reasons to discourage any salary boost”. Yvez Veyrier (FO) thus calls for a “real consideration” of the opinion of the unions and a “real debate on the level of the minimum wage”. The CGT demands an increase in the minimum wage to the tune of 2,000 euros gross. “The bonuses and the little perks are not enough. What is authentic is the salary, ”repeats Philippe Martinez.

Branches reunited on Friday

The unions will be able to present their arguments to the National Collective Bargaining Commission which meets on Wednesday afternoon. But they are unlikely to be heard at this meeting by the government, which favors other measures (energy check, inflation compensation…) to protect purchasing power. “We are careful not to increase the cost of labor to meet these purchasing power issues”, declared Elisabeth Borne on November 30. The Minister of Labor is also counting on the pressure exerted on the forty or so branches which have minimum wages below the minimum wage to improve their wage scales.

It will bring together trade unions and employers on Friday morning to take stock “of those who have progressed in recent weeks and the bad pupils”, the ministry said. The ministry hopes in particular that progress will have been obtained Thursday in the hotel and catering industry during a new negotiation meeting between professional organizations in this sector very concerned by low wages. Laurent Berger (CFDT) called on the government on Wednesday to exercise more “coercion”. At the same time as the revaluation of the minimum wage, “the government must tell all the branches concerned to negotiate a revaluation of their scales within three months, otherwise we will call into question the contribution reductions”, he proposed. on LCI. “It is not acceptable to stay on minimum wage for up to 15 years”, insisted the unionist.