As the legislative election approaches, the Insoumis are raising the stakes.
This Sunday, on France 3, the deputy (LFI) Jean-Luc Mélenchon returned to the subject of purchasing power, defending a massive increase in the Smic, if he manages to access Matignon.
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"
We must increase the minimum wage
," pleaded the populist tribune, recalling that his teams had, so far, "
planned to increase the level of the minimum wage by 15%
".
“
Since the Smic is at 1300, we will therefore go to 1500 […].
The 15% increase will be observed in relation to the level of the price
”, he explained, speaking of the net salary.
A way to "
move people's lives forward
", according to him.
In the event of success in the legislative elections, Jean-Luc Mélenchon also provides for a “
compulsory salary conference by branch
”, and wishes to increase the “
index point for civil servants
”.
So far, the union of the left had rather agreed on an increase in the Smic to 1400 euros net per month, as indicated by the various texts signed between the PCF, EELV, the PS and LFI.
But, as Jean-Luc Mélenchon points out, the minimum wage was revalued on May 1: high inflation automatically brought it to 1645.58 euros gross, or 1302.64 euros net.
A boost of 15%, desired by LFI, will therefore bring it almost to 1500 euros, the old promise having been rendered “
obsolete
” by inflation.
This amount was already defended by Fabien Roussel, during the presidential campaign: the communist candidate notably advocated a minimum wage of 1,500 euros as well as a “
conference
” to enforce this minimum wage in all branches.
Some actors call to go further: the CGT, thus, pleads for a minimum wage of "
2000 euros gross
", or 350 euros more compared to the current level.
For its part, the executive has always opposed a boost to the minimum wage, contenting itself with applying the automatic increases generated by inflation.
At the end of March, Bruno Le Maire justified his position by explaining that he feared a price/wage loop, in which “
prices catch up with wages and wages catch up with prices in a kind of parrot scale that never ends
”.
The government had nevertheless promised, before the presidential election, to unfreeze the index point for civil servants “
before the summer
”.
The amount of the revaluation must be known "
once the new government is appointed
“, According to the CGT, which awaits this announcement firmly.
More broadly, an exceptional bill on purchasing power must be presented as soon as the new legislature is in place, in order to protect household portfolios against inflation.