The main trade unions in France have rejected this Monday the increase in the minimum wage announced by the Government, believing that it falls short, and have called for a new day of strike for next 17 November with the aim of demanding broader increases.
Organizations such as the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (UNSA), the United Trade Union Federation (FSU) and the Solidarity Trade Union Union, known as Solidaires, have joined the strike, considering that it is “inconceivable” the proposal put forward by the Executive.
In this context, the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, has called on “all workers, retirees and young people to make 17 November a “new big day of demonstrations”.
“If wages do not increase and if our demands are not met, mobilizations will continue. Now is the moment for negotiations to begin everywhere. This must lead to an increase in wages,” she added, leaving the door open to more protests if there are no advances.
Earlier, the leader of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), Marylise Léon, had emphasized that an increase of 1.6% in the minimum wage is “insufficient,” statements that come after the Minister of Labour, Jean-Pierre Farandou, announced that the minimum wage will rise to 1,502 euros from 1 December.
Of the total 23 euros of increase in the minimum wage communicated by the Government, 18 euros correspond to the automatic revaluation already planned for 1 January, so the effective improvement is reduced to 5 euros. Binet has mocked this figure by stating that “It doesn’t even make it for a chocolate bar”.
For his part, the French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has defended that it is “the second-highest increase in 20 years” in history, although he acknowledged that “there is still more to do.” In an attempt to lower social tension, he has insisted that “it’s not just something symbolic,” according to information collected by the newspaper 'Le Figaro'.
Even so, he has admitted that the measure “is not enough” and has pointed out that “political concerns for the future” persist, in a scenario marked by the continuation of student demonstrations in the streets.