This is one of the urgent files of the executive: the revaluation of the salary of caregivers, on the front line during the health crisis. "We must work on an increase in the salaries of caregivers, beyond the bonuses," said Sunday the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche .
The Minister also announced the launch, on May 25, of a "Health Segur" with a " large multilateral meeting of social partners in the Ministry " in order to present a plan " this summer, to translate everything that can be in the next social security budget . " An announcement greeted with caution by sector representatives.
I made the commitment and I will keep it.
Emmanuel MacronThe words of the Minister of Health follow those of Emmanuel Macron. Friday, during a visit to the Paris hospital of Pitié-Salpêtrière, the President of the Republic promised a "revaluation of remuneration and careers", after working with all the union organizations, according to words from the head of state. "I made the commitment in Mulhouse and I will keep it," said Emmanuel Macron to caregivers. At the end of March, on a visit to Mulhouse, the president spoke of a "massive plan" for the hospital after the crisis.
Premiums deemed insufficient
In mid-April, the executive made a "gesture" for the caregivers. The Prime Minister, Édouard Philippe, had indeed announced a premium - tax-free and de-socialized - ranging from 500 to 1500 euros for carers, "on the front line day and night" . The caregiver and non-medical hospital bonus will be paid "in the coming weeks," likely "on May or June pay," government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said last week.
But this announcement had not convinced the caregivers' groups. The Inter-Hôpitaux collective had notably written on the social network Twitter: “A bonus? Whatever ! Announce salary increases if you want to save the public hospital . ” Downsizing, lack of equipment, salary increases ... caregivers have been hammering the same claims for long months.
How much do caregivers earn?
In the public hospital sector, in 2016, a midwife earned an average of 2,720 euros net per month, a nurse 2,305 euros net monthly and a nursing assistant 1,781 euros net monthly. For medical personnel (doctors, dentists and pharmacists, excluding midwives), the average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent (EQTP) amounted to 5,492 euros, indicates the latest Drees report. French nurses are particularly badly off since their salary is among the lowest in developed countries: France only ranks 22nd out of 33 countries, according to the latest OECD ranking.
Read also: Are caregivers in France among the lowest paid in Europe?
A Dares study from March 2016 also provides interesting data. We learn that the number of caregivers reached 598,000 jobs (91% of which were women) over the 2012-2014 period. Over this same period, the median salary (which separates a group into two equal parts) of the nursing assistants reached 1500 euros net per month. 11% of caregivers earned less than 1,250 euros net per month, 31% between 1,250 and 1,500 euros and 51% between 1,500 and 2,000 euros. As for nurses (87% women), still over the 2012-2014 period, their median monthly salary was 2,000 euros net for full-time employees.