Negotiations on Wage Boost Ongoing as Cabinet Determined to Settle Dispute

The rift over the wage hike decree is persisting as the cabinet is expected to tackle the top-priority issue on its agenda on Wednesday amid disputes between the Economic Committees and the General Labor Confederation on a LL25,000 increase.

Intensive contacts were held on Tuesday by Prime Minister Najib Miqati in an attempt to resolve the dispute over the raise. Separate delegations from the GLC and the Economic Committees met with Miqati at the Grand Serail then headed to Ain al-Tineh for talks with Speaker Nabih Berri.

However, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday that the discussions didn't lead to any "result."

The Economic Committees suggest that the minimum wage should be LL625,000 for new employees with LL675,000 for old employees, while the GLC suggest LL650,000 for new employees and LL700,000 for old ones, as for wages above LL1 million, the Committees want an increase that doesn’t go beyond LL275,000 while the GLC suggests LL300,000.

Head of GLC Ghassan Ghosn told An Nahar that the dispute is over a LL25,000 increase, stressing that a strike set on December 27 is ongoing.

He threatened "the GLC will call on protesters to rally in downtown Beirut on New Year's eve" if the discussions didn't lead to any result.

For his part, representative of the Economic Committees Nicolas Shammas said that the GLC isn't being "flexible" concerning the issue.

The government will hold another session at the Grand Serail on the same day of the planned strike that if held will hit the country's tourism sector during the holidays.

According to An Nahar the cabinet will take its decision without seeking to find consensus between the GLC and the Economic Committees by increasing the minimum wage to LL650,000 and salaries under LL1 million by 30% up to a LL200,000 increase, and salaries above LL1 million by a 20% increase up to LL300,000.

Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas told al-Liwaa newspaper that he will propose a full package during Wednesday's session whereby the minimum wage will reach LL860,000 including the transportation allowance (LL200,000 per month/ LL2,000 per day).

Ministerial sources told As Safir that the cabinet session will either abide by the Shura Council decision and modify its decision, or it will adopt Nahhas' proposal.

The sources said that Hizbullah and AMAL have agreed on a wide part of Nahhas' package.

The Shura Council approved on Friday the cabinet's decision on the wage hike, by adding some modifications to it but without interfering with the amount of increase on brackets.