Private sector on track for an increase in wages

2^min

Four meetings were held secretly between the economic bodies and the General Labor Union to improve the situation of employees in the private sector and reached the following agreement:

• Raising the minimum wage to LBP 4,500,000
• Increasing the value of the daily transport allowance from LBP 95,000 to LBP 125,000
• Doubling the family compensation three times from what it was, i.e., LBP 180,000 for the wife instead of 60,000, and LBP 100,000 for each child instead of 33,000
• Doubling scholarships three times, i.e., LBP 3 million instead of 1 million for each student in public school or university, and LBP 6 million for each student in private school or university

This agreement is expected to be approved by the index committee headed by Caretaker Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram at its scheduled meeting on Friday.

After the committee approves the agreement, these increases must be issued by four decrees to become effective after being published in the official gazette.

How will the political stalemate be settled in light of the Free Patriotic Movement's boycott of caretaker cabinet meetings?

What the President of the General Labor Union, Bishara Al Asmar, considers an achievement is far from what employees should receive to survive in a country where the minimum cost of living for a family of 4 people has reached LBP 23 million.

Even if it cannot fully address the challenges of the current economic crisis, raising wages in the private sector is still preferable to maintaining current pay scales, especially given that many companies are still paying their staff based on the LBP 1,500 exchange rate and as if the crisis had never occurred.

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