SCC Declares Oct. 10 Strike, Demos over 'Govt. Procrastination'

The Syndicate Coordination Committee on Tuesday called for a general strike and demonstrations to be staged on October 10 over what it called “the government's procrastination” and “the onslaught of the Economic Committees,” stressing that it will not stand idly by as the government delays referring the new wage scale to parliament.

On September 6, the cabinet approved the new wage scale with a hike in taxes on real estate and banking transactions, without reaching a final agreement on funding sources.

“They would be mistaken to think that boycotting the correction of official exams is the only card that can be used,” the SCC warned in a statement.

The Economic Committees, a grouping of the country's businessmen and owners of major firms, on September 6 said they would reject any decision taken by cabinet on the new wage scale, warning that the government's plan would "inflict major losses on the public and private sectors."

The SCC said “a central demonstration will head from the UNESCO Square to the Grand Serail on Wednesday, October 10, at 11:00 a.m.”

The SCC also warned that “from now on, the protests will not be limited to teachers and employees, but will also include their families and children as well as the students and their parents, in addition to the children and families of the security forces and all the syndical, social and popular committees that support the Committee's efforts.”