French Prime Minister Sebastien LeCorneau has announced that the government will bring forward a planned minimum wage increase to December instead of January, as mounting pressures on the cost of living fuel weeks of protests and unrest across the country.
The 1.6 percent increase will raise the net monthly wage from 1,478 euros to about 1,502 euros, adding just 24 euros, Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farndeau said during a press conference, according to Reuters.
In defense of the decision, Lacorno described it as "the second largest increase in 20 years, so it should not be despised. ".
However, the index falls far short of the requirements of the trade unions. The CFDT required an increase of €100 per month, while the CGT required an increase of 10%, equivalent to approximately €150 per month.