«Decent wages for employees around the world to afford housing and food, and free time»

Michelin wants to give one decent salary to all its employees, no matter where in the world they are located.

Workers have long been clamoring for a wage that allows them not only to survive, but to live. Finishing your shift, every day, worrying about making it to the end of the month and reflecting on what sacrifice you will have to make this time in order to pay the rent or groceries is not sustainable and, above all, it is not right. Despite the increasingly frequent complaints and cries of ordinary people asking to be heard, too often no response comes.

Then, the announcement from Florent Menegaux, CEO of the Michelin group: «You dedicate time to improving yourselves and the company and in exchange we give you the means so that a family of at least four people – two parents and two children – can afford, with unique salarynot only accommodation and food, but also free time, a little saving, etc. »

Michelin’s response

As Les Echos reports, the French tire giant announced Wednesday its intention to establish a “living wage” above the national minimum wage and a “universal social protection plan” for its 132,000 employees worldwide.

Florianne Viala, head of the company’s personnel department, said that a “decent salary” represents, on average, “between 1.5 and 3 times the minimum wage”.

The definition of “living wage” was given by the United Nations Global Compact and consists of a salary sufficient to satisfy the primary needs of a family of four, i.e. food, transport, education, health expenses, purchase of household goods. consumption, as well as allowing savings.

Therefore, in terms of actual numbers, in France the living wage for Michelin would be 39,638 euros gross per year in Paris, 25,356 euros in Clermont-Ferrand, Michelin headquarters, compared to the 21,203 euros of the minimum wage. In Brazil it would reach 37,347 reais, or more than double the minimum wage (16,944 reais), while in China it is 69,312 yuan compared to a minimum wage of 29,040 yuan.

Furthermore, by the end of 2024 Michelin plans to implement, globally, a “universal social protection plan” that includes health coverage for employees and their children, maternity leave of at least 14 weeks and paternity leave of four weeks, paid at 100%. This “basis” also includes death insurance with capital payment for at least one year and an annuity for children’s education, regardless of the employee’s seniority.

Last update: Thursday 18 April 2024, 3.49pm

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