The November 17 strike continues to gather momentum. Launched by the public-sector inter-union group and then extended to the private sector by the CGT following the social conference at Matignon on Monday, November 9, 2026, the Tuesday, November 17 action is now also drawing support from student and high-school organizations. In Paris (75) and across the Île-de-France region, a new day of strikes and demonstrations is therefore taking shape, less than two weeks after the November 5 march. One meeting could still prove significant before then: civil-service unions are due to meet at Matignon this Friday, November 13.
What sparked the backlash? The announcement on November 9 of an increase in the minimum wage, which is set to bring it to €1,502 net. A symbolic figure for the government, but far too little for the union confederation.
For Sophie Binet, it’s not enough. The government has announced an extra €24 from December 1, even though the minimum wage was already due to rise by around €18 on January 1 under the automatic adjustment. In other words, the actual boost would amount to just a few euros. The head of the CGT calls it “crumbs.”
The union is demanding much more: an increase of around €150 net per month and wages indexed to inflation. Sophie Binet warns that the mobilization will continue until wages rise, and is calling for negotiations to begin at all companies. The full list of demands can be found on the CGT website.
The union confederation does not want to limit the strike to the civil service. In a statement titled “On November 17, in the public and private sectors: let’s make the strike widespread!”, it is calling on workers “in every company and every sector” to meet in general assemblies to decide whether to strike. “On November 5, the country rose up en masse. On November 17, it must go on strike!” the CGT writes.
The CGT is not alone. Even before the social conference had ended, a inter-union group representing public-sector workers had already set a strike day for November 17. It comprises six organizations: the CGT, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC and FAFP. They are calling for immediate pay rises, an increase in the value of the index point and its indexation to inflation, as franceinfo reports. The index point, which is used to calculate civil servants’ salaries, has been frozen for the fourth year running, while inflation reached 3.4% in October, the unions note in their joint call. They are also calling for the waiting day before sick-leave benefits begin to be abolished.
The UNSA has also broadened its call. In a statement signed by its general secretary, Laurent Escure, the confederation is calling for “a day of interprofessional action and strikes on November 17” in support of public services and wage negotiations in companies, reports UNSA Éducation. It considers the €23.65 increase in the Smic insufficient, given the €100 to €150 demanded by the unions.
The inter-union front does not stop there. According to the statement shared by CGT État, FSU and Solidaires are also joining the call to action in both the public and private sectors. For civil servants, UFSE-CGT has filed a strike notice covering the period from November 1 to December 31, 2026.
Young people will also be taking part. On Tuesday, November 10, ahead of the Paris march from the Panthéon to Place d'Italie, the youth union coalition (Union étudiante, Union syndicale lycéenne, Unef and Fage) called for another demonstration on Saturday, November 14, and then urged people to join the action on the 17th, franceinfo reports.
Force Ouvrière and the CFDT, the second- and third-largest unions in the public sector, are not among the signatories for now. The movement continues to enjoy broad support among the French public, according to a poll published by HuffPost.
After being left out of the social conference on November 9, public-sector unions will finally be received by Sébastien Lecornu this Friday, November 13, four days before the strike. Their priority remains unchanged: an immediate increase in the index point and its indexation to inflation, as Christian Grolier put it, according to Acteurs Publics. The UNSA Fonction publique has welcomed the invitation, calling it “a good thing.”
The government must choose between a general pay rise, which would be costly for public finances, and targeted measures that unions already consider insufficient. The announcements expected on Friday will set the tone for the final days before the protest.
The prime minister is defending a 1.6% increase in the minimum wage on December 1, which he describes as one of the biggest rises in 20 years and says will not threaten jobs. The social conference convened at Matignon also resulted in a series of measures to boost purchasing power, championed by Minister Serge Papin:
For his part, Economy Minister Roland Lescure announced that the fuel bonus would be extended into 2027. This tax-free benefit, which employers can pay to their employees, can amount to up to €1,000.
In a more measured tone, the CFDT also considers the increase in the minimum wage insufficient. However, Marylise Léon welcomes one new development: some business subsidies will now be conditional on sector-level negotiations.
Employers, meanwhile, are unhappy for other reasons. The U2P sees it as yet another burden for businesses already under strain, while Entrepreneurs (formerly CPME) argues that they cannot be expected to do everything in the midst of a crisis. Speaking to franceinfo, Medef president Patrick Martin regrets that “the wrong answer is being given to a real problem” and argues instead for jobs and investment.
Since the call is aimed primarily at the public sector, public services are likely to be most affected: schools, canteens, daycare centers, town halls, government offices and hospitals. In nursery and elementary schools, teachers must declare their intention to strike at least 48 hours in advance, and the City provides a minimum childcare service if at least a quarter of them go on strike. The situation at each school will therefore not be known until the day before November 17.
At the time of writing, the Paris route has not yet been announced. We’ll have to watch for statements from the unions and, above all, the police prefecture’s response. In recent weeks, it has favored routes along the edge of the city center: the march on November 5 ultimately went between République and Nation, as we explained in our article on the route imposed by the police prefecture.
As for transport, neither the RATP nor SNCF has announced a specific strike notice for November 17 at this stage, and no railway workers’ union federation has yet publicly joined the call. The timeline is tight: in public services, a strike notice must be filed five clear days before the strike, leaving transport unions very little time to decide where they stand. On previous days of protest, the police prefecture also called for several metro stations along the march route to be closed. If that happens again, our article on how to get around despite the demonstrations may come in handy. Follow all the latest information on marches in Paris in our guide to demonstrations in Paris.
Retirees’ protest in Paris on November 19: planned route
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A busy week is in store on the labor front. After education workers and students mobilize on Tuesday, November 10, civil service unions are due at Matignon on Friday, November 13, young people will take to the streets again on Saturday, November 14, and retirees are set to gather on Thursday, November 19. We will update this article as soon as the Paris route and traffic forecasts are known.
The increase in the minimum wage was at the heart of the social conference held at Matignon this Monday. Date, amount, extra boost: here’s a look at Sébastien Lecornu’s announcements and what they mean for employees. [Read more]
Retirees’ protest in Paris on November 19: planned route
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