The report from the expert group on the minimum wage is expected on Thursday

A boost or just an automatic increase? The group of experts on the minimum wage will submit its annual report to the government and social partners on Thursday, November 27, in which it makes recommendations on the evolution of the minimum wage.

Created in 2008, this group of experts presents recommendations on the minimum wage at the end of each year, which are then discussed by the social partners, before the Prime Minister issues a decree setting the level of the minimum wage on January 1st.

This decision is still highly anticipated, as on November 1, 2024, approximately 2,2 million private sector employees were paid the minimum wage, representing 12,4% of these employees, according to the statistical service of the Ministry of Labour.

The minimum wage is currently set at 1.426,30 EUR net per month (1.801,80 EUR gross) and 9,40 EUR net per hour (11,88 EUR gross).

Every January 1st, the level of the minimum wage is indexed to the inflation observed for the 20% of households with the lowest incomes and increased by half of the gain in purchasing power of the basic hourly wage for workers and employees.

Beyond this mechanical indexation, the government can give a boost to the minimum wage, but since its creation, the group of experts has never recommended it.

No further increases beyond the automatic revaluation have taken place since July 2012, following the election of François Hollande.

"We have come out of the inflationary bubble of the years 2021-2024, so in terms of inflation, we can say that there would be no proven risk to an increase in the minimum wage, but in terms of employment and unemployment, the context does not seem favorable," says Yannick L'Horty, professor of economics at Gustave-Eiffel University.

He points out that the rise in unemployment, but also the proximity in France of the minimum wage to the median wage, argue against increasing the minimum wage too sharply, in order to "avoid compressing the wage bill at the bottom of the distribution".

On the union side, the CGT is demanding a minimum wage of 2.000 euros gross per month.

"If the members of the group of experts allow themselves on Thursday to announce no increase in the minimum wage, it will be one more reason to strike and demonstrate on December 2nd, since, in the end, it is the Prime Minister who arbitrates," warns Thomas Vacheron, Confederal Secretary of the CGT.

Next Tuesday, CGT, Solidaires and FSU are calling for mobilization against austerity and for wages.