AESH Workers Protest Nationwide Over Low Pay and Job Insecurity

Overview

• Hundreds of AESH (accompanyants d'élèves en situation de handicap) workers staged protests across France, citing low wages, precarious contracts, and insufficient job protections.
• Most AESH employees work part-time, earning around €900–€1,200 per month, which many say is inadequate to cover basic living expenses.
• Workers highlighted a lack of training to handle diverse and complex disabilities, leaving them unprepared for challenging situations in classrooms.
• The number of students with disabilities in mainstream schools has tripled since 2006, straining AESH resources and increasing workloads without corresponding pay increases.
• The French government has promised 2,000 additional AESH positions and discussions on career development, but workers are demanding a formalized status and higher pay.