France Plans 1.6% December Minimum-Wage Hike

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu moved the annual minimum-wage increase forward to Dec. 1, raising the net monthly wage floor by 1.6% to about €1,502, as the government seeks to ease cost-of-living protests. Lecornu called it one of the largest increases in two decades and said it should spur broader wage negotiations, while also proposing measures including tax breaks and a review of social-security contribution reductions to support take-home pay and address employers’ cost concerns. Major unions called the increase inadequate: the CFDT sought a substantially larger raise, while CGT leader Sophie Binet called the offer “crumbs” and urged further protests on Nov. 17.