REPORT: UCC says officials are ‘liquidating’ the public sector

Head of the Public Administration Employees Mahmoud Haidar reiterated on Tuesday the call on deputies to pass the series of ranks and salaries without imposing new taxes on Lebanese citizens.

In a protest held outside the Ministry of Finance, Haidar stated that some parliamentary blocs did not take a specific decision regarding the pay scale dossier, urging deputies to deal with the said issue in a serious manner.

For his part, Head of the Union Coordinating Committee Hanna Gharib said “the issue is no longer about the wage scale,” pointing out that "officials are trying to 'liquidate' what is remaining of the public sector."

In this regard, Gharib called on the UCC to form a social alliance in order to preserve social services and maintain the rights of employees and teachers.

The UCC, a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees, had called for massive participation in the march in an attempt to exert pressure on the parliament to pass the new wage scale.

 It resumed its movements weeks ago calling on the authorities to pass the pay scale, which stipulates a wage hike.

The decision to revive movements came as a result of the failure of the Joint Parliamentary Committees to resolve the dispute on the Value Added Tax in a proposal aimed at securing the funds for the salary scale that was approved by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati's cabinet.

Former PM Mikati's cabinet endorsed the new salary scale for public employees in 2012, ending a long dispute that had triggered several sit-ins and strikes held by the UCC.

Former President Michel Sleiman signed the decree mid-June 2013 and it was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committees for further examination, however the law was never passed.   


To watch Maroun Nassif's report, please click on the video above.