Carole Ferry, edited by Gauthier Delomez 6:30 a.m., September 21, 2021, modified at 6:31 a.m., September 21, 2021

Civil servants do not want to be the big ones left behind by inflation. While the minimum wage will increase by 2.2% on October 1, they are already demanding a general increase in their wages. This will be the central debate of the conference on salary prospects in the public service which opens on Tuesday.

Are officials going to benefit from the effects of inflation and the increase in the minimum wage?

It is on Tuesday that the conference on salary prospects in the public service opens.

The event brings together unions of all categories (State, communities, hospital ...) under the leadership of Amélie de Montchalin, the Minister Delegate.

In July, it announced a revaluation of the salaries of civil servants in the lowest paid category, but this grid must change now according to the unions.

Discussions should last until next February and the meeting promises to be tense.

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The clue point at the center of attention

The subject at the center of all attention is that of the clue point. It increases the salaries of all civil servants, from the top to the bottom of the ladder. One point is equivalent to 14 euros net per month on the payslip, which represents an increase of 2.5 billion euros for the state budget. A substantial sum for the government, which therefore does not want to increase this index point in 2022. It is for this reason that it has chosen to increase only civil servants in category C, the least well paid.

With inflation and the increase in the minimum wage, the revaluations announced in July are no longer up to par.

This is the opinion of Christian Grolier, secretary general of the FO section of civil servants: "The future salary scale was going to make us quiet for several years. However, the minimum wage will increase by 2.2% on October 1 and hundreds agents find themselves again paid below the minimum wage ", he underlines on Europe 1, before continuing:" We cannot accept that the agents are paid below the minimum wage. 'attractiveness to public employment (upgrading) is the minimum ".

The important role of agents during the health crisis

This observation is shared by Luc Farré, secretary general of the UNSA civil service.

"Inflation is increasing sharply in our country. We must therefore find a solution for public officials," he says at the microphone of Europe 1. The trade unionist justifies a rise in wages by the important role that they have played these officials during the health crisis.

"They were strongly mobilized, everyone recognizes it. It is not possible that there are agents just at the level of the minimum wage while they had career prospects", adds Luc Farré.

According to the unions, a gesture at the opening of the conference will calm the debates.