At TotalEnergies, following late-night negotiations convened for the first time since the strike began on September 27 under pressure from the government, a wage compromise was signed mid-day Friday by the CFDT and CFE-CGC, the majority unions.
The two unions have declared themselves in favor of management’s proposal for a 7% salary increase over 2023 retroactive to November 1, 2022.
But this offer includes “individual increases” and an “evolution of the seniority bonus”, which in fact brings to 5% “the general increase in wages”, said Philippe Martinez, the number one of the CGT.
The union is demanding a 10% increase, corresponding to “inflation, plus the sharing of wealth, since Total is doing well and shareholders have been served for a long time,” according to Mr. Martinez.
The 7% increase put forward by management corresponds more precisely to an overall salary increase “envelope”. This figure will not be applied to everyone.
“Within this package, all workers and technicians will receive a general increase of 5% with a floor of 2,000 euros for the lowest salaries, and all managers will receive a guaranteed increase of 3.5% and a floor increase of 2,000 euros” per year, TotalEnergies details.
Workers, employees, technicians and supervisors (OETAM) will get, in addition to the general increase, an additional individual increase of 2% on average. This share will be distributed according to a “communicating vessels” mechanism, explains the management: if a worker obtains only 1% of individual increase, another one will obtain 3%. The CFDT believes that the agreement is the “fruit of an acceptable compromise” and welcomes in particular the floor of 2,000 euros which “will be favourable for the majority of OETAMs and the most modest salaries”.
The agreement also provides for a bonus of one month’s salary, with a floor of 3,000 euros and a ceiling of 6,000 euros. At Exxon, management has also agreed with two majority unions (CFE-CGC and CFDT) on an average salary increase “envelope” of 6.5% in 2023, accompanied by a value-sharing bonus of 3,000 euros. In addition, there is a one-time mobility allowance of 750 euros, paid in November to cope with the increase in fuel prices.
