Eight unions send letter to Prime Minister demanding increase in civil servant point value

Paris – May 28, 2026: Eight unions sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister on Wednesday demanding an increase in the value of public servant points. They are urging the swift convening of the originally scheduled wage working group this week to discuss wage improvements in the public sector. This demand reflects growing dissatisfaction with current wage trends due to rising inflation and the resulting increase in employee burdens.

The unions point out that public sector wages have not been sufficiently increased for years, significantly diminishing employees’ purchasing power. They argue that the point value, which serves as the basis for calculating wages, must be raised to ease the burden caused by the rising cost of living and to maintain the attractiveness of public sector employment.

In the past, the point value has been a subject of controversy several times between the government and social partners. For example, in July 2023, the point value in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, was increased by 1% following union demands. Initially, the unions requested a 3.5% increase, but this measure was regarded as a compromise reflecting national financial constraints.

The government now faces the challenge of finding a balanced solution that takes into account both the demands of public servants and financial conditions. As tensions rise within various sectors of the public service, pressure on the government for a swift and satisfactory resolution to wage issues is increasing.

Besides wage issues, securing a long-term work environment and the quality of public services are major concerns. The unions warn that without appropriate measures, motivation and work performance of many employees could deteriorate, negatively affecting administration and citizen services.

The convening of the working group is considered a key step in dialogue between the government and social partners. Observers expect negotiations to be complex due to intertwined political, economic, and social interests, and believe the outcome could have a significant impact on future public sector collective agreements and reforms.

This issue demonstrates how closely the discussion on point value is linked to a broad social debate on social justice, budget discipline, and the future of the public sector. The federal government must find a solution that responds to the increasingly unsettled public sector labor environment while maintaining national financial stability.