SCC: No Official Exams before Approval of New Wage Scale

The Syndicate Coordination Committee on Friday declared an open-ended general strike in the public sector and a boycott of the official school exams that were scheduled to begin on June 7, in a bid to press MPs to approve the long-stalled new wage scale.

“We declare an open-ended general strike in the public sector and a boycott of the June 7 official school exams,” Mahmoud Ayyoub, head of the association of elementary school teachers, announced after a meeting for the SCC at its headquarters in Beirut.

“We reject the parliamentary panel's draft that seeks to liquidate what's left of social care and we demand the approval of a 121% hike of the salaries of all public employees with a retroactive effect from July 1, 2012,” the SCC said in a statement recited by Ayyoub.

The Committee stressed that “the salary degree must be unified for all sectors and must be equivalent of 5% of the salary.”

Referring to a recent parliamentary proposal, the SCC categorically rejected “the unpaid increase in working hours for public administration employees.”

“We tell them once again: You will not find anyone hit by despair among the ranks of the SCC. Although the officials have acknowledged our right, they are actually evading its approval,” the SCC said, accusing MPs of “procrastinating in a bid to sow despair or discord among the ranks of those who are demanding their rights.”

“To the lawmakers we say: You are before the last chance, as you either approve the new wage scale draft according to the SCC's memo or you bear the responsibility for paralyzing the public sector and the boycott of all types of official exams,” the Committee warned.

Addressing the Lebanese people, the SCC added: “The fate of the official exams is hinging on the MPs' stance regarding the approval of our rights. We urge the MPs not to take the Lebanese people hostage.”

“People are asking how you were able to extend your mandates in 10 minutes and you resort to vacuum when the issue has to do with people's affairs?” the Committee said, again addressing MPs.

“Our dear people, you have shared the path of suffering with us and we appreciate your plight and understand the psychological state of our students, who have the right to take their official diplomas from the state. The officials are the ones depriving your children of the official diplomas,” the SCC added.

It called on school principals and teachers “not to accept papers tasking them with missions that have to do with the official exams.”

“We call on all teachers and monitors to rally and stage sit-ins outside educational centers on Monday, June 2, starting 10:00 AM. A central, open-ended sit-in will be staged outside the education ministry on Friday, June 6, starting 9:00 AM,” the SCC said.

“General assemblies will be held and public employees will stage a strike starting Monday in all regions and at the Grand Serail. Strikes will be held on Tuesday, June 3 and Wednesday, June 4 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at all ministries and public institutions,” the Committee added.

“A strike and a sit-in will be held on June 7 outside the directorate general of vocational and technical education in Dekawneh.

"We are capable of taking our rights and imposing the approval of the new wage scale the way we like," the SCC stressed.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee is a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees.

Y.R.