A 1.6% increase from December fails to satisfy unions as the CGT and allies press for action on 17 November

By PHUBIEYAS AHMAD

November 10, 2026

France will raise its minimum wage by 1.6% from December 1, a month earlier than usual, but the announcement has failed to end union pressure over pay and living costs. The CGT and several allies are calling for strikes and demonstrations on 17 November.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled the package after talks with unions and employers at Matignon, his office, on Monday. The government put the new net monthly minimum wage, known as the SMIC, at about €1,502 for full-time work, up from €1,477.93.

The increase is worth roughly €24 a month. It falls well short of the additional €100 sought by the CFDT union federation and the approximately €150 demanded by the CGT.

What the Government Announced

The 1.6% rise combines an automatic inflation-linked adjustment of about 1% with a discretionary uplift of 0.6%, the first such extra increase since 2012. Both will take effect in December rather than January.

That distinction matters when assessing the offer. The full monthly gain is about €24, but only part is additional to the increase that workers would otherwise have received. Applying 0.6% to the current net amount gives an indicative discretionary gain of about €9 a month for a full-time worker.

Beyond the SMIC, ministers want industries to begin rapid negotiations next week on their pay scales. A decree promised this week would make employer social contribution relief less favourable in sectors whose negotiated minimum rates remain below the SMIC. A joint wage-monitoring committee will track progress.

The government also outlined proposed tax relief on overtime and employee bonuses, alongside support for commuting costs. These proposals still require the relevant legislative or regulatory steps before taking effect.

Unions Remain Dissatisfied

CGT leader Sophie Binet dismissed the package as “crumbs” and called for further mobilisation. Her claim that the extra gain amounted to about €5 reflected her comparison with an expected January rise; it is not the total increase in monthly minimum pay.

CFDT leader Marylise Léon welcomed bringing the adjustment forward but judged its size insufficient. She also welcomed linking some business support to progress on sector-level wage negotiations, according to parliamentary broadcaster Public Sénat.

Force Ouvrière likewise welcomed the government’s decision to grant a discretionary increase, while saying the package did not match the scale of workers’ needs. Its statement emphasised negotiations across salary scales and a separate meeting with public sector unions on Friday, 13 November.

The different responses matter. The confederations agree that wages need to rise, but they are not presenting an identical response to Monday’s package. Acceptance of further negotiations should not be mistaken for endorsement of the government’s offer.

A Fresh Strike Call

In its own statement, the CGT said it was acting with UNSA, FSU and Solidaires to broaden the 17 November mobilisation already called by public sector unions. It urged private and public sector workers to organise workplace meetings and decide on strike action.

The CGT said the wage announcement would not end the campaign and demanded wider increases in salaries and pensions, alongside better resources for public services. The call therefore reaches beyond workers on the statutory minimum wage.

Student Dispute Continues

Monday’s separate talks on Parcoursup, France’s university admissions platform, also ran into difficulty. Many school and university student organisations, along with education unions, left the reform committee’s first meeting in protest at the presence of far-right representatives and employers.

Some participants remained in the meeting. The departures exposed disagreement over who should shape the reform, adding another obstacle to negotiations over access to higher education.

Teachers, students and school pupils have been called to strikes and demonstrations on Tuesday, 10 November. Their demands include better staffing and pay, improved access to higher education and investment in school and university buildings.

The next test is whether negotiations deliver gains above the minimum wage and whether Friday’s public sector meeting addresses a separate set of pay demands. The December increase gives the government a concrete decision to point to; the fresh mobilisation call shows that it has yet to secure a settlement.

• TNS NEWS