In light of the increasingly disdainful situation, starting with the dollar stabilizing at high rates, the raising of the customs dollar to 15,000, and the announcement of raising the official exchange rate to 15,000, a move regarding wages, which are no longer sufficient even for daily sustenance, was inevitable. In this context, the Minister of Labor in the caretaker government, Mustafa Birm, reveals, via MTV, a necessary increase for workers in the private sector. So, what are the details?
Birm notes that "preliminary communications are underway to hold a meeting of the index committee, which is expected to take place either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week," stating, "We are in constant communication with representatives of employers and the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers to keep up with the ongoing developments."
He indicates that "the discussion will focus on transportation allowances and the cost of living, and whether the increase will include one of them or both; this is negotiable as we are in an economic situation like never before, and thus we are trying to take a step forward to give a little hope. It must be declared to social security, and we make this a condition because it brings significant revenues to social security, enabling it to increase tariffs."
Birm concludes: "Our goal is to improve the situation for workers without taking any erroneous step towards the private sector that could lead to disruption or closures, and we strive for balanced steps. We are compelled to keep up with the current cost of living and living developments, acknowledging that we are not providing the necessary minimum."
So, the increase is inevitable after recent developments; the question remains, how much will it be? The answer is dependent on discussions in the coming days.
