The executive cites the budgetary cost to refuse a uniform increase, pushing the unions to leave the negotiating table.
The Ministry of Finance ruled out, Wednesday July 8, any general increase in salaries in the public service in 2026 for cost reasons. The eight representative trade union organizations in the public service (CGT, CFDT, Unsa, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC, FO and FA-FP) left the meeting less than two hours after its start, denouncing the absence of general measures concerning the remuneration of nearly 6 million public agents, noted AFP.
A refusal motivated by budgetary constraints
A uniform revaluation of 1% of the value of the index point would cost the State 2.4 billion euros, which is “not possible”, argued the office of the Minister of Public Accounts, David Amiel. On Tuesday, the latter announced that the State and Social Security had to make 3 billion euros in additional savings over 2026.
Faced with this constraint, Bercy limited itself to putting forward a few targeted proposals on remuneration and careers during the meeting with the unions. The index point serves as the basis for calculating part of the remuneration of civil servants.
After three years of freezing the value of the index point, the cup seems full for most public service union organizations. They are also opposed to the removal of a bonus in favor of purchasing power and denounce a phenomenon of “flattening” of index scales, which causes a cap on remuneration.
