SCC to Strike for Full Week in Public Sector before Wednesday's 'Great Explosion'

The Syndicate Coordination Committee on Wednesday called for a first of a kind general strike for an entire week starting Thursday, ahead of a mass demonstration to protest the new wage scale draft law presented by MPs.

“We announce a one-week general strike as of tomorrow and until next Wednesday in the public sector, public administrations, ministries and at the Grand Serail,” SCC chief Hanna Gharib declared at a press conference.

Gharib also said that sit-ins will take place with the participation of teachers and contract workers in both the private and the public sector on Monday and Tuesday in front of the Grand Serail, ministries, and public administrations.

And on May 14, protesters will hold a march towards the parliament, which Gharib described as the "great explosion."

"The public sector is being targeted,” he stated.

The SCC also urged boycotting the correction “of all official exams.”

Gharib explained the SCC's decision: “The conclusion of the parliamentary committee is an insult to the Lebanese, particularly to the poor, and also to teachers, retirees and contract workers.”

“Our rights stipulate that salaries should increase by 121 percent in all sectors and for the retirees without any installments, decrease or partition and with a retroactive effect. There is no increase of salaries like they (MPs) claimed before the public. They attacked rights through salary increases that do not assure the basic rights of public employees, just to get back at anyone demanding their rights.”

He reiterated that the SCC does not accept to be given rights “at the expense of the poor.”

“We want to receive our rights through fighting corruption and monopoly in trading,” Gharib insisted.

He continued: “The SCC united people against sectarian divisions and projects that cause sedition in the country, but with the new wage scale draft they (the committee) slammed this unity.”

And therefore, Gharib declared that the SCC rejects the new wage scale draft law, calling on the parliament to adopt a law that assures rights.

“No settlements should be made over rights, regardless of the circumstances and the considerations,” he expressed.

Meanwhile, Head of the private schools teachers association Nehme Mahfoud noted that tomorrow Thursday is a normal working day at private schools, although teachers are called on to participate in a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Education.

“But on Monday and Tuesday there will be protests. And on Wednesday, all the public sector will take part in a mass march,” he remarked.

Speaker Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session next Wednesday to discuss the wage scale draft-law after its amendment by a ministerial-legislative committee.

The committee, which was formed a few weeks ago after lawmakers failed to agree on the raise, handed Berri the amended version of the wage scale on Monday.

While the SCC stresses that it will only accept a 121 percent wage hike as initially approved by ex-Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government in 2012, the committee reduced the total funding from LL2.8 trillion ($1.9 billion) to LL1.8 trillion ($1.2 billion).

The committee also proposed raising the Value Added Tax from 10 to 11 percent on certain services, and customs by five percent on some items.

The SCC has repeatedly warned that it would continue to hold street protests if parliament failed to approve the pay hike in its initial form.

S.D.B.

Y.R