Overview
- The government confirmed a 2.41% Smic increase that takes effect Monday, June 1, adding roughly €35 net per month for minimum-wage workers.
- Ministère du Travail data show 126 of 179 tracked professional branches will have at least one pay-echelle below the new Smic on June 1, representing about 70% of those branches.
- French law bans pay below the Smic so employers must top up individual wages immediately while affected branches are required to begin negotiations with social partners within 45 days to revise their official grids.
- Unions including the CGT and CFDT demand rapid, binding revalorisations to prevent long-term ‘smicardisation’ where workers advance job levels without real pay gains.
- Employers and business groups warn the rise, combined with a freeze on social contribution relief, will raise costs that many small and very small firms may struggle to absorb and could limit wage increases above the minimum.