Cutting wages would be the "worst thing" for the Force Ouvrière union

Moderate or lower wages to help companies overcome the crisis would be " the worst thing, " warned FO secretary general Yves Veyrier on Saturday, for whom the government should not " orchestrate " this " little music ". . Using the pretext of the health crisis to lower wages in companies in great difficulty, " this is what we fear, this is what we do not want ," hammered Mr. Veyrier at the microphone of Europe 1.

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“ This little music of wage moderation in the face of the situation emerging from the health crisis and the gradual resumption of activity would be the worst thing. I do not want it to be orchestrated by the government through the partial activity system , "which supports 84% ​​of net salary in the majority of cases," he added.

" Blackmail "

If employers presented lower wages as the only alternative to layoffs, it would be an " unacceptable " form of " blackmail, " he said.

Labor Minister Muriel Pénicaud recently called on companies to limit “job risks ”, possibly negotiating “ collective performance agreements ”, a possibility opened up by the 2017 labor ordinances: through this, employers can , through an agreement with trade union organizations representing the majority of the staff, reduce working hours and remuneration in times of crisis.

For Mr. Veyrier, " the State, whatever the cost, must also get involved to protect employment, but also the purchasing power of employees ." Lowering wages would also be detrimental to consumption, and therefore to recovery, he argued.

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" If you take a few dozen, even a few hundred euros " from employees, whose median salary is around 1,800 euros net per month, " it should not be expected " that they can buy a car or go more at the restaurant, he observed.