Workers, employees... Night workers earn (a little) better living

Barthélémy Philippe, edited by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP 06h09, 04 May 2023

Whether daily or punctual, night work, between midnight and five o'clock in the morning, concerns nearly three million employees. Manual and nonmanual workers are the two socio-professional categories who work the most at night, ahead of intermediate professions - technicians, nurses or supervisors. In companies where it is regulated by a collective agreement or agreement, night work must give rise to the right to compensatory rest or even wage compensation.

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In fact, according to a study by the statistical directorate of the Ministry of Labour published Wednesday, May 3, full-time employees who work at night do indeed have a wage advantage. On average, the bonus for manual workers who work mainly at night reaches 7% of the monthly net wage.

"Over the month it makes me 80 euros gross extra"

In the same situation, the advantage is 5% for employees and 4% for intermediate professions. Among these employees concerned is Alexandre, 31, a receptionist in a hotel in Lyon. He works two nights a week, which allows him to earn just over 2,000 euros gross per month. "Compared to remuneration, there is a small increase on night hours," he confirmed to Europe 1. "Over the month, it makes me 80 euros gross extra, so, I get 2,080 euros gross."

Alexandre concedes that "indeed, there is not a huge difference" with a day job, "and working at night, it is true that physically, it is difficult. The sequence of days and nights of work in the same week, the changes of rhythm, it's tiring."

Schedules "that often represent a sacrifice"

Even if it is sometimes modest, the wage premium for night workers still has the merit of existing, says Patrick Pommier, head of the department of industrial relations and working time at Dares. "That's a pretty good sign. There is a fair compensation to be expected in the fact of practicing these schedules, which often represent a sacrifice, "he observes.

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"It also refers to economic theory, which speaks of compensatory difference," adds Patrick Pommier. "The salary should partially compensate for the constraints suffered by employees," said the official at Dares. In France, night work concerns one in 10 employees, more men than women. The most exposed sectors are equipment storage, transport and hotels and restaurants.