France: Medico-social workers called to strike for wage increases

They are psychologists, specialized educators or social workers, and claim the same salary increases as those granted to their healthcare colleagues: social and medico-social employees, serving disabled people or children in difficulty, are called upon to strike on Tuesday to denounce a "break in equality". From 450,000 to one million professionals, employees of the hospital and territorial public services or the private sector, are concerned by this situation, explained Monday during a press conference the representatives of an inter-union CFDT-FO-UNSA. These are non-medical staff – including administrators and technicians – employed in establishments or services that take care of the elderly or disabled, but also vulnerable children or adolescents, or the homeless. Pay increases of 183 euros net per month were granted in the summer of 2020 during the Ségur de la santé to hospital and retirement home staff. But they have only been extended gradually and partially to other sectors, leading to a drain of skills for the better paid sectors and significant recruitment difficulties, denounce the unions. "It's a problem of fairness. Some professionals resign, they are disgusted by the lack of recognition of their profession", underlined Didier Birig, of FO.

IN SHORT

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