Cabinet Not Expected to Refer New Wages Scale to Parliament as SCC Reiterates Threats to 'Paralyze' Country
The controversial issue of the new wages scale for public employees is ongoing as the Syndicate Coordination Committee threatened to stage a nationwide strike on Thursday while local newspapers reported that the cabinet isn't expected to resolve the dispute during its session at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday.
An Nahar newspaper reported that the government will delay referring the new salaries scale as it didn't find the appropriate resources to fund it.
Sources close to Prime Minister Najib Miqati reiterated that the premier refuses to yield to threats by the SCC as he is “doing what his conscience dictates to maintain the financial stability in the country.”
“The new wages scale has been approved and we will not back down on it but funding it requires calm discussions,” the sources pointed out.
The SCC, a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees, warned the cabinet on Tuesday that it will “paralyze” the public sector and stage a nationwide strike on Thursday.
The coalition also decided to stage similar strikes on October 31 and November 1 and to protest near ministries and Serails across Lebanon.
The cabinet agreed during a session held on October 10 to tackle the matter in an “exceptional” session on Wednesday to end the bickering over the issue and refer it to the parliament.
Head of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Association Hanna Gharib said in comments published in As Safir that the strike “is a message to all officials that the SCC is not joking about paralyzing the public sector.”
“They have to choose either to commit to the new wages scale or to continue robbing (the country) and striking suspicious deals...,” Gharib added.
The cabinet had failed to refer a decision taken in September to refer the concerned draft law to the parliament until proper funding resources are found, while the Economic Committees have been lobbying against the raise, warning that it would push the economy into bankruptcy if passed.
Ministerial sources told As Safir newspaper that the SCC “has the right” to be worried about the delay in referring the new salaries scale to the parliament, however, they noted that “escalation is not justified as the cabinet will not back down from it.”
Head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud accused the cabinet in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that it is seeking to add more financial burdens on the citizen to adopt the 2013 state budget, pointing out that it has no problem with referring the new wages scale to the parliament.
A ministerial source told al-Liwaa newspaper that the government will exert “extraordinary efforts” to agree on the resources of funding the new salaries scale.
In September, the cabinet approved the new salaries scale for public employees, ending a long dispute that has prompted the SCC to hold several sit-ins and strikes.
The wages increase will be retroactive from July 1, 2012, but the salary adjustments would be paid in installments over a period of five years, although funding resources to cover the costs are still not clear.
The government recently discussed plans to boost the treasury’s revenue to cover the expenses of the salaries boost through several proposals, including the implementation of a hike on taxes on land parcels, sea properties and others.
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