SCC Warns of 'Paralyzing' Lebanon if Cabinet Failed to Meet Promises

The Syndicate Coordination Committee warned on Wednesday of “paralyzing” the country if the cabinet failed to refer the new wages scale draft law to the parliament during a session expected to be held at the Baabda Palace.

“After 13 months of promises, the cabinet decided to discuss the sources of funding the new salaries scale and the country's financial balance,” head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud told gatherers near the Grand Serail.

He lashed out at Prime Minister Najib Miqati for failing to meet his promises.

“We will hold an open-ended strike and will cordon off the Grand Serail until our demands are met,” he said.

Mahfoud called on President Michel Suleiman to voice his support to the demands of the SCC “to safeguard the country from the planned escalatory measures that will be undertaken.”

For his part, head of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Association Hanna Gharib urged the cabinet to immediately refer the draft law to the parliament as it is a “priority” and “our right.”

He told protesters to “get ready for any escalations if the cabinet failed to meet its promises.”

Mahfoud rejected any suggestions to impose new taxes on the people under the pretext of funding the new wages scale.”

Earlier, Miqati said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that he will not back down in referring the new wages scale to parliament, however, he pointed out that the government has yet “a responsibility to preserve the economic and financial balance and limit the inflationary effects of its application.”

Labor Minister Salim Jreissati stressed to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that the cabinet has already agreed on the wage scale raise and aims to now find the proper resources to cover the costs, while taking into consideration the pressing living conditions.

Private and public schools and public institutions in Tripoli, Nabatiyeh, Baalbek, Hermel, Koura and several other areas across Lebanon committed to the strike and suspended classes.

The draft law increasing public wages lies on a triad of conflicting opinions. The coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees who stress that there will be no backing down on their demands.

The cabinet has meanwhile failed to refer the decision to parliament until proper funding resources are found, while the Economic Committees have been lobbying against the raise, warning that it would push the economy into bankruptcy if passed.

In September, the cabinet approved the new salaries scale for public employees, ending a long dispute that has prompted the SCC to hold several sit-ins and strikes.

The wages increase will be retroactive from July 1, 2012, but the salary adjustments would be paid in installments over a period of five years, although funding resources to cover the costs are still not clear.

Member of Association of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Mohammed Qassem told gatherers near the Grand Serail that the cabinet must “amend the wages scale in order to pay them in one step as soon as possible.”

The government recently discussed plans to boost the treasury’s revenue to cover the expenses of the salaries boost through several proposals, including the implementation of a hike on taxes on land parcels, sea properties and others.