Jreissati: The UCC’s statements are neither threatening nor escalatory

Following a meeting with a delegation from the UCC, Labor Minister Salim Jreissati said that talks with the UCC were frank and direct and added that the government does not operate under forceful threats.                 

“We discussed the rightful demand with the UCC as well as the referral of the pay scale to Parliament,” Minister Jreissati said.                 

Minister Jreissati added that President Sleiman issued a decree to hold an extraordinary parliamentary session to discuss the series of ranks and salaries.
                        
For his part, the Head of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Association Hanna Gharib said that it is about time to resolve the dispute over the new pay scale and added that it is unacceptable that thousands of students stay at home.                        

“We thank the parents for their understanding,” Gharib said.                         

Gharib called on all political parties to support the UCC in order to reach a solution for the issue of the series of ranks and salaries and mentioned that the UCC will not accept funding the new pay scale in installments.                  

After Gharib’s declaration, Minister Jreissti said that the latter’s statements are neither threatening nor escalatory; “they are demanding the referral of the pay scale to the parliament,” he said.               

Earlier on Wednesday, a demonstration of the Union Coordination Committee arrived to Riad El Solh Square outside the Grand Serail to call for the referral of the ranks and salaries scale to Parliament. It had kicked off from outside the Ministry of Information in Hamra.           

Addressing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud said "you have no right to keep the cabinet decision dormant; you and your government are responsible for the country's paralysis."     

Mahfoud invited the association to vote on the open-ended strike on February 1st.                                   

For his part, the head of the Union Coordination Committee (UCC) Hanna Gharib said that the government is applying a self-distancing policy from the social problems of the people, stressing that they have the right to call on PM Najib Mikati to refer the ranks and salaries scale to Parliament.                       

He noted that the failure to refer the pay scale to parliament is a violation against the constitution, pointing out that if it weren’t for the continuous movements of the UCC, this file would have never been passed by the cabinet.                          

"The issue of the ranks and salaries is not one of finance, but one of theft and corruption, and those betting on a psychological war against us will lose," Gharib said, adding that February will mark the referral of the pay scale to parliament.                            

Addressing President Michel Sleiman, Gharib called on him to intervene immediately to refer the scale to Parliament as agreed with Mikati.           

The UCC had called for a strike on February 6, 7 and 8 for all private and public schools. “However, these strikes will be subject to the cabinet’s decisions.”