France: Inflation triggers rise in minimum wage

The statutory national minimum wage, the smic, was increased automatically by 2.3% from 1 May 2008 as a result of rising inflation.

The smic is normally increased on 1 July each year in line with annual growth in the consumer prices index (excluding tobacco products) affecting urban households headed by a blue-collar or white-collar worker, plus half the increase in the purchasing power of average hourly blue-collar pay.