Jumblat: My Bloc Will Object to New Wage Scale that Lacks Clear Funding
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.
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