Discontent is great in the social and medico-social sectors. Employees in this sector, serving disabled people or children in difficulty, are called to strike on Tuesday to denounce a “break in equality”. They are indeed demanding the same salary increases as those granted to their caregiver colleagues.
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 the representatives of an inter-union CFDT-FO-UNSA. These are non-medical staff, including administrative staff and technicians, employed in establishments or services which also take care of the elderly or the homeless.
“A problem of equity”, according to FO
“The differences in treatment according to the socio-professional category in the same establishment or the same service are not acceptable”, summarized Nathalie Pain, of the CFDT Health / social. 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 were only gradually and partially extended to other sectors, leading to a drain of skills for the better paid sectors and significant recruitment difficulties, denounce the unions. “It’s a fairness issue. Some professionals resign, they are disgusted by the lack of recognition of their profession, ”said Didier Birig, of FO.
Last November, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that a “conference of social and medico-social support professions” would be organized before January 15. However, this conference was then postponed during the first quarter, on an unspecified date, further fueling the anger of the unions. This consultation will finally take place on February 18, we learned Monday from a government source.