Officials, forgotten for the exceptional bonus

The cup was already full but there, it could outright overflow. On Thursday, the main unions had an appointment at the Ministry of Labor with Muriel Pénicaud and Bruno Le Maire, respectively ministers of Labor and Economy. On the agenda: the exceptional bonus desocialized (exempt from social contributions) and tax-free Emmanuel Macron encouraged companies to pay their employees to grant them more purchasing power. After two hours of meeting, the verdict falls: "It was not conclusive," says a senior official.

Certainly since Monday, several large groups – Orange, Publicis, Altice, Iliad … – have already announced that they respond to the call of Emmanuel Macron but the vast majority of companies still have to convince. More seriously, this measure raises an immense blind spot: the public sector.

"We look at what can be done"

Because the hitch for many agents of the public service is that Emmanuel Macron invites to do what he says … but not what he does! Clearly, the state does not intend to be a good student in public companies where he is in charge. For the moment, at the SNCF, at EDF or at La Poste, it's the same official chorus that is hummed: "We look at what can be done. "

"It's time for them to come out of their silence," said Sébastien Menesplier, General Secretary of CGT Mines-Energie. We do not want a premium but real wage increases. Year over year, increases do not follow inflation, and employees of public companies lose purchasing power. At the SNCF, some unions took the lead. In letters that we have been able to consult, the CFDT cheminots wrote to Guillaume Pepy, the boss of the company, while Unsa addressed the HRD, Benjamin Raigneau, to demand, among other things, the payment of this exceptional bonus. . "A minimum amount of 1000 € for the entire Public Rail Group," writes the CFDT. Far from the hypotheses studied by the SNCF. Because according to our information, the public company thinks of a premium only for the low and average wages. "It's even more unacceptable that this premium is low," says a source.

As for the civil servants: "There was no particular discussion on this subject, deplored Thursday the CFDT. For our part, we have expressly requested that such a bonus be put in place for agents and officials. Out of the question for the public service unions to be the stuffing turkeys.

Adjustment variable

But do they have a choice? "The announcements of the Head of State leave out the public servants, more than five million people, indignant Baptiste Talbot, General Secretary of the CGT Federation of Public Services, missing Thursday of the meeting. This confirms the fact that public servants are the great sacrifices of this government. Indeed, since the beginning of the five-year period, the famous "index point" – which serves as a basis for the calculation of their treatment – has not been revalued. Many of the agents also had the increase in the CSG, which was neutralized, but did not give rise to an increase in remuneration such as that enjoyed by private employees.

But to tell the truth, there is even worse … Not only should officials not have a premium, but they also fear to be the adjustment variable of the presidential generosity of the beginning of the week. "With 10 billion euros to find to finance these announcements, sighs Baptiste Talbot, we are a target all found. We are worried about deletions of means, posts or a gel ad vitam aeternam of the index point. "The same concern for Solidaires:" The public service may pay the price, rises Gaëlle Martinez, General Delegate Public Service. "While it is up to him to ensure the maintenance of social cohesion and the reduction of inequalities … A shame! "