Amid anger, France announces 1.6% increase in minimum wage

The French government announced on Monday that it would raise the minimum wage by 1.6 percent effective December 1, following weeks of protests demanding improved purchasing power and demonstrations by high school students and university students.

Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou said at a press conference that the government had decided to bring forward the automatic increase, originally scheduled for January 1, to December 1, and raise its rate to 1.6 percent.

During the press conference, Lucarno stated that this was “the second-largest increase in 20 years and should not be underestimated,” emphasizing that it was “not merely symbolic.”

While unions condemned the fact that minimum wages in certain sectors remain below the legal floor, Farandou said the increase would also boost negotiations in those sectors.

He clarified that on Monday morning, the government had asked representatives of the relevant sectors to begin negotiations starting next week to raise the minimum wages stipulated in collective agreements, taking into account the new legal minimum.

The meeting came after a fourth weekend of protests involving tens of thousands of people across France.

Lucarno was scheduled to meet in the afternoon with representatives of high school students and university students, who continue to occupy some educational institutions.

The crisis began in September with the start of the school year, when high school students protested against the decline of public education. Their demonstrations were joined by protests against the rising cost of living and by those opposing President Emmanuel Macron, who will leave office in May after ten years in power.