Responding to wage protests in which a union leader was killed and shops were burned and looted, France brought the activists back to the negotiating table by offering a range of measures to alleviate economic hardship on the island.
Protesters have asked for a 200-euro monthly rise for poor workers to cope with the rising cost of living on a densely populated island that relies heavily on expensive imports.
"Now I'm expecting employers to propose an increase in wages," Fillon said on Friday. "I'm expecting the unions to appreciate the importance of the efforts that have been made."
Unions agreed to negotiate but described the latest offer as inadequate and refused to call an end to the strike, which has paralysed Guadeloupe.
President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday announced measures worth 580 million euros ($729 million) to help France's overseas regions, including aid to poor families, relief from social security contributions, and price controls.
"There is nothing new in Nicolas Sarkozy's announcement. It's still far from what we are demanding, which is a 200 euro salary increase," said Elie Domota, leader of the island's mass protest movement, "Liyannaj Kont Pwofitasyon" or "Stand Up Against Exploitation."
Employers have mentioned possible increases of 35 to 120 euros, depending on the sector.
The unrest has highlighted tensions reaching back to the colonial past of Guadeloupe, one of four overseas regions that are part of France and the European Union.
Rising food and fuel prices, high unemployment and low wages have fuelled resentment against the economically powerful minority of "beke" or white families, often descendants of slave-era colonists.
The strike has spread to neighbouring Martinique and protests have broken out on French Guyana and the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, the other regions.
Thursday night was relatively calm on Guadeloupe, police said, with only some small fires and isolated gun shots, compared with the street battles between youth gangs and riot police in previous days. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry, additional reporting by Colette Borda in Pointe-a-Pitre; editing by Janet Lawrence)
