Cabinet Set to Discuss Wage Boost Next Week Amid Calls for Adoption of GLC, Economic Committees Deal

The cabinet is expected to discuss a new wage hike next week after the Shura Council rejected on Tuesday a previous decree proposed by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas on the increase of salaries.

The General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees that had agreed to set the minimum wage at L675,000 – excluding the transportation allowance - welcomed the Shura Council’s rejection of the government decision aimed at setting the minimum salary at LL868,000 including a LL236,000 transportation allowance.

GLC chief Ghassan Ghosn, who held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, said in remarks published Wednesday that the Confederation “does not have a problem” with the adoption of the agreement reached between it and the Economic Committees.

The main objective of the GLC is to give the workers and employees their rights, he said.

As for Mohammed Shuqair, who is a member of the Economic Committees, he hoped the cabinet would adopt the agreement reached with the GLC during its session on Wednesday.

But media reports ruled out a possible discussion of a wage decree during Wednesday’s session at the Grand Serail. They said the government will most likely deal with the issue next week.

The agreement that was reached between the two sides last month was under the sponsorship of Premier Najib Miqati, who is likely to push forward for its adoption by the cabinet.

Speaker Nabih Berri is also seemingly supporting the agreement. His sources told As Safir daily that “it would be natural in light of the Shura Council decision for the agreement signed between the GLC and the Economic Committees to be the only refuge given that it has received the consensus of the two sides.”

But Free Patriotic Movement sources have warned that the Change and Reform bloc ministers would vote against it if it was put up to vote, saying the agreement is full of “legal violations.”

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas, who is loyal to Miqati, snapped back, saying the previous cabinet decision that was rejected by the Shura Council had a lot of violations.

He told As Safir that the best solution lies in the adoption of the GLC-Economic Committees agreement.