caught up in the minimum wage, community pharmacy employees are trying to make themselves heard

While the government wants to “de-emphasize” France and make work pay better, the executive has put pressure on certain professional branches, in which salary scales do not change, or too little.

After last year’s historic inter-union front against pension reform, this May 1st promises to be more classic for the unions. The CFDT focuses on the European elections, while the CGT, FSU and Solidaires, with several youth organizations, launch a common appeal against austerity, and for wages.

While the government wants “desmicardize” France and that work pays better, the executive has put pressure on certain professional branches, in which the salary scales do not change, or too little. This is the case for community pharmacies. Since its last increase, the minimum wage now covers 60% of the minimum wages in community pharmacies.

Employees forced to negotiate individually

But dialogue has been blocked between unions and employers’ organizations since last year, to the point that a representative of the labor ministry is now participating in the negotiations, which is rare. “They can see how things are going and the tension there is during these negotiations. He has an outside eye and will therefore try to make everyone take a step back in order to move forward more calmly. We are sure someone neutralexplains David Brousseau, labor force manager for the pharmacy branch.

In the absence of agreement at branch level, the employee must then negotiate himself. Like Julie, pharmacy technician near Nantes. His job barely starts at 40 euros net above the minimum wage. “We don’t have HR, we just have our boss above us. Those who have the right back are the accountants: ‘The accountant said no, that’s not going to do it’… We have to hang on, and then we work every day with our boss”, Julie testifies.

With a salary of around 1700 euros net per month, Julie assures us: she does not complain. Even if, after ten years of work, his salary only increased by a little more than 200 euros.