Jumblat: My Bloc Will Object to New Wage Scale that Lacks Clear Funding
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed the importance of reform at public administrations in order to ensure the success of the new wage scale, reported the daily An Nahar daily on Sunday.
He explained: “My parliamentary bloc will object to the new wage scaled if it lacks clear means of funding.”
“We will not advocate the scale, despite the legitimate need for it,” he added.
He also revealed that his National Struggle Front bloc will convene on Monday in order to tackle this issue.
The Joint Parliamentary Committees approved on Friday the new wage scale after arduous discussions over its funding and despite disagreement over some issues that will be tackled during a parliamentary plenary session.
It has since referred the wage scale to parliament that will hold a session on Tuesday to address the issue.
The Syndicate Coordination Committee, which had been staging demonstrations to pressure the Joint Parliamentary Committees to adopt the wage scale, met on Sunday in order to discuss its next measures following the scale's referral to parliament.
It warned that it may stage a sit-in in protest against the Joint Parliamentary Committees' amendments to the scale, saying that it will convene on Monday in order to address its future actions.
Head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud meanwhile told An Nahar: “We received assurances from lawmakers that the wage scale will not implemented in installments.”
“We will study all possibilities in order to be prepared for what may take place at parliament on Tuesday,” he revealed.
The SCC had warned of escalation in the protests, of an open-ended strike and of boycotting the correction of official exams if parliament fails to endorse the new wage scale.
Former Prime Minister Najib Miqati's cabinet approved in 2012 a new salary scale for public employees ending a long dispute that had prompted the SCC to hold several sit-ins and strikes.
President Michel Suleiman signed the decree mid-June 2013 and it was referred to the joint parliamentary committees for further scrutiny.
The wage increase will be retroactive from July 1, 2012.
The state treasury will have more than $1.2 billion to cover as there are over 180,000 public sector employees including military personnel.
13 April 2014, 10:21
15
I am not a fan of Jumblat at all, but I commend him if he does object. There are no new practical funding means for this new wage scale which was instigated by MPs and Blocks for the sake of their re-elections, specially Berri who incited his followers to go on the streets. Raising taxes will limit economic growth that we desperately need. Delay it while preparing privatization of telecom and power.
13 April 2014, 10:31
15
eagle; I could not agree with you more on this. It is estimated that prices will go up by at least 20% as a result of this increase which in essence will not only nullify the wage increase but in real terms makes it a negative. It will also trigger another wage increase in the private sector and so on. The end result will be higher inflation, no economic growth, and less net disposable income. Our economy is a services economy that relies on banking and tourism. The security situation in the country (Thanks to HA) will not improve anytime soon. Imagine a shrinking economy with soaring inflation... recipe for fiscal disaster. If this goes through, don't be surprised if Lebanon's debt isn't downgraded to C+ or B-.
13 April 2014, 11:08
05
This draft law was prepared during Miqati's government, and what did Berri do? He put it on the parliament's agenda as a priority draft law while calling upon his people to go out demonstrate to embarrass the new government and corner it. Did you guys notice how many unions and trades took to the streets in the last 10 days! Clever ploy indeed.... nobody is talking about HA war in Syria anymore.... That's what Berri does.
13 April 2014, 10:26
11
I'm really curious to see what Lebanon's progressive "socialist" party will recommend.
13 April 2014, 10:47
11
he certainly would not suggest giving back to the state what he and other politicians have stolen.....lol
13 April 2014, 11:24
00
1) Progressive income tax
2) Remove certain perks that politicians have such as and not limited to: tax exemptions for cars, 4 policemen as bodyguards really???, and huge pensions on their already huge salaries.
3) Taxes on third party real estate dealings (Samsara)
so many options to choose from, but thy want to raise taxes for the poor and middle class not on them and their filthy rich partners.
13 April 2014, 15:05
11
As I said he and other politicians should give back money stolen from the state coffers and all cronies supporting any of our corrupt politicians must be removed from gov;t positions. Only then in a miraculous way we shall see additional money in the state coffers
