French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday said the government would raise the minimum wage slightly in response to cost-of-living protests, but unions swiftly dismissed the offer as "crumbs".
Protesters in the eurozone's second largest economy have in recent weeks demanded higher wages, but the government has limited leeway to respond as it seeks to rein in high deficit and debt ahead of presidential elections next year.
After meeting the unions, Lecornu promised to increase the minimum wage by 1.6 percent on December 1.
That would include an adjustment for inflation of one percent and an extra boost of 0.6 percent, he said.
This would raise the minimum wage by around 24 euros to around 1,502 euros net per month -- far below that demanded by the unions.
The CFDT had called for a 100-euro increase and the CGT for around 150 euros.
CFDT general secretary Marylise Leon said that the proposed hike was "insufficient".
CGT leader Sophie Binet dismissed the extra five euros a month on top of the automatic adjustment for inflation anyway as "crumbs".
"Five euros is one kilo of tomatoes," she said.
France adjusts its minimum wage for inflation every January. The last discretionary boost dates back to 2012.
Public sector unions have called for a strike and demonstrations on November 17.
