Unions challenge minister on low pay in public sector
6 January 2012
Seven public service federations (CFDT, CFTC, CGC, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA) have written a joint letter to the Public Service Minister on the question of minimum pay and the purchasing power of public sector workers. The unions are unhappy about the unilateral decision by the ministry to increase the minimum salary in the public sector to bring it in line with the national minimum wage that was recently increased by 2.1%, while maintaining an overall freeze on public sector pay. The unions are calling for an increase to the index point on which all public sector salaries are based, along with a further increase to take account of several years of below-inflation pay rises. They also want to see a general review of the public sector pay system. The FO-Fonctionnaire federation has also criticised the ministry’s policy and called for a 5% increase on the public sector pay index point as well as allocating an additional 44 points to all public sector salaries.
Read more at > CGT (FR)
And at > FO-Fonctionnaires (FR)
Figures expose fall in public sector pay in relation to minimum wage
21 December 2011
Inflation in the year to October 2011 at 2% has lead to an automatic increase in the minimum wage to €1393.82 a month. This has major implications for the public sector where pay has failed to keep pace with inflation for many years. Even the government acknowledges that nearly a fifth of all public sector workers (890,000 out of five million) will see their pay increase as a result of the rise in the minimum wage. The CGT points out that this exposes the extent to which public sector pay has fallen behind developments in the minimum wage. The starting point for workers classified as category B is now just 3% above the minimum wage compared to 23% in 1986.
Read more at > CGT Services Publics (FR)
Federation calls for real negotiations on gender equality
9 December 2011
The CGT’s public sector federation has called on the Public Services Minister to commit to real negotations on gender equality and to revise his draft agreement to take account of key demands submitted by the Federation earlier this year. At the moment the proposal is to integrate gender equality elements into a general agreement on civil service and public sector workers’ pay and conditions. However, the CGT wants to see a specific agreement on gender equality that should include action to tackle the gender pay gap, improve work-life balance and address the level of salaries and hardship of women-dominated occupations.
Read more at > CGT (FR)
Strike action over pay
9 December 2011
As part of a broader campaign on pay, the FNME-CGT energy federation organised strike action on 17 November to put pressure on employers to increase basic salaries across the energy sector. Pay increases over the last few years have not kept pace with inflation. The increase in 2011 was imposed by employers after all unions failed to agree and the latest deal was not signed by the main unions in the sector. The 2012 increase on basic salaries will be 1.3%,although the overall increase will be 2.51%, to take account of various other elements including adjustments for pensions contributions.
Read more at > FNME-CGT (FR)
Water workers make gains after all-out strike
11 November 2011
Members of the CGT, UNSA and FO trade unions were united in all-out strike action in the second half of October to support their claim for a €250 monthly bonus for all sewage workers in the Paris region. Management resorted to intimidation and sent letters directly to all strikers giving them an ultimatum to end the strike and withdraw pickets or face legal action and arrest. The unions decided to return to work having accepted a monthly bonus of €75 for those mainly involved in maintaining sewage works and systems (€50 or €25 for other technicians). The unions remain united and will discuss further action to secure their €250 target.
Read more at > CGT Services Publics (FR)
More than 270,000 joint demonstrations over pay
21 October 2011
Public sector unions within the CGT confederation joined a major day of action on 11 October calling for an increase in salaries and policies to tackle precarious employment. The CGT estimated that some 200 demonstrations took place across the country, calling for pay rises to protect purchasing power and as a step towards a fairer distribution of income in the face of the trend to higher pay for top executives.
Read more at > CGT (FR)
Massive survey of healthworkers reveals increased stress and pressure of work
21 October 2011
The CFDT Santé health federation has carried out a major survey with responses from 55,000 workers in 492 public health establishments. The survey reveals a range of data on working conditions and has been broken down into different groups of workers and professions. The survey reveals the extent to which workers are under increased pressure, with growing workloads and many stuck on temporary contracts.
Read more at > CFDT Santé (FR)
Driving test examiners and road safety workers take strike action
21 October 2011
The FO civil service federation is supporting strike action by driving test examiners and other workers dealing with driving licences and road safety. The Ministry undertook to revalue salaries in the section in 2007 but four years later with increasing pressures of work and lengthy negotiations, the civil servants are still waiting for the salary review to be implemented.
Read more at > FO Fonctionnaires (FR)
Union organisations co-ordinate action on 11 October
7 October 2011
Five trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, UNSA, FSU and Solidaires – have called a day of action on 11 October to protest at budget cuts announced by the French government in August. Among other demands, they are calling for an end to job cuts in the public service, for maintenance of the real value of pay and an opening of negotiations on public sector pay. They argue that the government is doing nothing about tackling tax havens or to increase taxes on the rich.
Read more at > CGT (FR)
Federation calls for better pay and conditions for sub-contractor employees
7 October 2011
The FNME-CGT energy federation organized a national day of action on 22 September to highlight the situation of the employees of sub-contractors in the nuclear sector. The union points out that these workers are facing some of the most serious safety risks in the sector but are missing out on the pay and employment conditions enjoyed by permanent staff. The union has delivered a 10,000-signature petition to the energy minister calling for improved pay and conditions for all sub-contracted workers, arguing also that all the contracted out services should be brought back in-house.
Read more at > FNME-CGT (FR)
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