Nine trade union federations have sent a joint letter to the public services minister calling for immediate pay negotiations. The unions are concerned about the long-term erosion of purchasing power. At the beginning of this year the national minimum wage (SMIC) rose to EUR 10.25 an hour (EUR 1554.58 a month) and this meant pay rates at the bottom of the Category C public sector pay grade fell below the minimum. Instead of increasing the index point on which all public sector salaries are based, the government simply added two index points to these lowest pay rates. The unions point out that the index point has lost 20.79% of its value since 2000 and if the lowest pay rates were increased to compensate for this then salaries would be EUR 321-325 higher than they are now. Meanwhile in the health and social care sector home helps are set to get pay increases from October in a new agreement that will provide a monthly increase of EUR 99 for unqualified workers currently stuck on the minimum wage and EUR 362 for a carer with qualifications. However, demonstrations continue, with a mobilisation on 8 April, highlighting the fact that not all health and social care workers are benefitting from the national deal to increase pay by EUR 183.
Public service and health unions active on pay
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