What exactly does the wage raise mean for you?

The agreement to raise the minimum wage to 700,000 LBP reached Wednesday and approved by the General Labor Confederation (GLC), that later on decided to suspend the strike, caused controversy amongst educational institutions and economic committees.

With information on the schools’ strike inconsistent and unclear, some schools closed while others opened their doors to students but teachers were not holding class.

Given the circumstances, the head of the Teachers’ Syndicate for private schools Nehme Mahfoud told LBCI TV, “I hold the Head of the GLC Ghassan Ghosn responsible for the frenzy caused in the education sector”.

Mahfoud added that the Union Coordination Committee made a mistake by working alongside the union. In response to the statements made by Mahfoud, Ghosn told LBCI that the Union Coordination Committee did not refuse the deal, rather is benefitting from it. Ghosn ruled out the possibility that there might be any discrimination amongst workers.

Regarding the stances taken by the economic committees, the head of the Beirut Traders Association Nicolas Chammas said that the economic committees refused the settlement.

“The wage raise is a victory for the employers and workers at once”, Chammas said, stressing the openness of the economic committees to dialogue.

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas told Nharkom Said TV show that the decision taken by the cabinet is incomplete, but the circumstances imposed such a decision.

“The government should not interfere in the affairs of a free market except for setting the minimum wage which guarantees social security for all workers”, Nahhas added.