French teacher unions protest salary devaluation and job cuts

French teacher unions are raising alarms regarding the declining attractiveness and economic standing of the teaching profession. The Snes-FSU union reports that 10,230 secondary school teaching positions have been eliminated in the public sector during Emmanuel Macron’s presidency.

Central to the dispute is significant salary devaluation. Sophie Vénétitay, Secretary General of Snes-FSU, criticized the government for failing to implement adequate wage increases amidst high inflation. The union noted that since 2010, price increases have outpaced teacher salaries by double, and current earnings for certified professors are significantly lower relative to the minimum wage than in previous decades.

In response to these conditions, the union has called for a mobilization on September 29 to demand salary revaluation without concessions. Simultaneously, the CGT Éduc’action union has expressed opposition to recent training and assignment reforms implemented by the Ministry of National Education, arguing that current measures fail to address the underlying crisis in working conditions and professional prestige.