State Employees Protest Possible Salary Cuts as Legislative Session Convenes

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Lebanese University teachers, civil servants and the Union Coordination Committee staged a sit-in on Wednesday protesting a government’s proposal to cut their wages as part of measures to reduce spending and slash the budget deficit.

The protesters gathered in Riad al-Solh Square in Beirut in parallel with a legislative session held in Parliament.

Later in the day, the state-run National News Agency said it is committed to the strike and that it will only cover news related to protests that will be held across Lebanon.

State hospitals and most of the state’s institutions including the National Social Security Fund followed suit and joined the strike.

As part of government plans to reduce budget deficit, suggestions emerged that pay cuts might be imposed on salaries of public sector employees and retirees.

It surfaced after remarks made by Froeign Minister Jebran Bassil last week, he said: “If the government doesn't reduce wages there will be no more salaries, no economy and no Lebanese Lira.”

Similar protests took place on Tuesday when retired military and security officers blocked several roads in different Lebanese areas to warn against wage cuts.

The legislative session convened to discuss 19 items on the agenda including the electricity plan and establishing special economic zone in the Batroun district and another in the district of Tyre along with the current one in Tripoli.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 1
Missing phillipo 17 April 2019, 21:57

One of these days people will learn to get 70-80% of their present income is preferable than get 0% after the organisation goes bankrupt.