The SMIC is the Interprofessional Minimum Salary for Growth. It represents the minimum hourly wage that workers can receive in France. In 2019, it is 9.80 euros gross. The minimum wage was created in 1970 by the government of Georges Pompidou. Today, it is updated every year based on inflation.
The interprofessional growth minimum wage: definition
The interprofessional minimum wage for growth (SMIC) is an hourly or monthly amount, which applies to all workers in a country. This amount is calculated based on the average productivity of the country, and is updated regularly. In France, the minimum wage was created in 1970, and is today set at 10.03 euros per hour, or 1,521.22 euros per month for a person working 35 hours per week.
The minimum wage is an important tool for combating poverty and wage inequalities. Indeed, by guaranteeing a minimum wage to all workers, it makes it possible to fight against low wages, which are often a sign of worker exploitation. In addition, the fact that the SMIC is updated regularly makes it possible to adapt it to changes in the country's productivity, and therefore to guarantee a decent standard of living for workers.
However, the minimum wage is often criticized because it may be insufficient to allow workers to live decently. Indeed, in France, the cost of living is high, and many workers have to work several jobs to make ends meet. In addition, the fact that the minimum wage is updated regularly can lead to unfair situations, when salary increases are insufficient to compensate for price increases.
Despite all these criticisms, the minimum wage remains an important tool for fighting poverty and wage inequalities. Indeed, it guarantees a minimum wage for all workers, and is today a central element of social protection in France.
The minimum wage, a turbulent history
What exactly is the minimum wage? The interprofessional growth minimum wage, more commonly called the minimum wage, is the legal minimum hourly wage in France. It is set by law and is revised every year depending on changes in prices. The current minimum wage amount is 10.03 euros gross per hour.
But the minimum wage is not just a minimum hourly wage. It is also and above all a story, an eventful story.
The minimum wage was created in 1970 by the government of Georges Pompidou. At the time, the amount was 65 francs gross per hour, or around 10 euros today. Over the years, the minimum wage has undergone numerous changes. In 1974, its amount was increased to 80 francs gross per hour, then to 100 francs in 1976. In 1981, it was increased to 120 francs, then to 140 francs in 1982.
The 1980s were particularly difficult for the minimum wage. Indeed, the economic and social crisis that hit France in the 1980s had a direct impact on the minimum wage. In 1982, the minimum wage was frozen then, in 1983, it was reduced by 5 francs. Fortunately, things gradually improved in the 1990s and the minimum wage was increased again, from 153 francs in 1990 to 222 francs in 2000.
Today, the minimum wage is still one of the most sensitive subjects in French economic and social life. Each year, its amount is revised according to changes in prices and the economic situation. Despite the economic difficulties that France is going through, the minimum wage was further increased in 2017, going from 9.67 euros gross per hour to 10.03 euros.
For many French people, the minimum wage is a question of survival. Indeed, living on a minimum wage often means living precariously, on the verge of exceeding the poverty line. According to an INSEE study, in 2014, 3.4 million people lived with an hourly wage below the minimum wage. Among them, 2.2 million were employed full-time and 1.2 million part-time.
The minimum wage is therefore a turbulent history, a history which reflects the economic and social situation of France. Despite the difficulties, the minimum wage remains an essential tool to fight poverty and promote the professional integration of the most precarious.
The minimum wage today: news and issues
The minimum wage today: news and issues
The minimum wage is the inter-professional minimum wage for growth. It is set by decree each year. For 2019, the minimum wage is 10.03 euros gross per hour, or 1,439.22 euros gross per month for a person working 35 hours per week. The minimum wage is calculated on the basis of the legal working hours, i.e. 168 hours per month.
The minimum wage is a minimum, which means that no one can be paid less. In France, the minimum wage is the minimum wage guaranteed by law. All businesses, regardless of their size, are affected by the minimum wage.
The minimum wage was created in 1970 by Decree No. 70-10 of January 2, 1970. It was then set at 80 francs per day, or 3,200 francs per month for a person working 35 hours per week. Since then, the minimum wage has been increased several times. The last increase took place on January 1, 2019, when the minimum wage increased to 10.03 euros gross per hour.
The minimum wage is a subject of debate in France. Supporters of the minimum wage believe that it guarantees a decent salary for the most precarious workers. Opponents of the minimum wage say it is a costly and ineffective measure because it only shifts costs from businesses to taxpayers.
The minimum wage is an important subject in France, because it touches on the question of purchasing power. Indeed, the minimum wage is the minimum wage guaranteed by law, which means that all workers must be paid at least the minimum wage. This has a direct impact on the purchasing power of workers, because it is the minimum they can earn.
The minimum wage is also an important subject because of the differences between the legal minimum wage and the median wage. Indeed, in France, the median salary is around 2,000 euros per month, or four times the amount of the minimum wage. This means that the majority of French employees earn around twice as much as the minimum wage. This shows how the minimum wage is a very low salary, and how significant income inequality is in France.
The minimum wage is a complex and sensitive subject. It is important to understand its definition, its history and current issues before deciding on the subject.