General Confederation of Lebanese Workers President, Bechara Al-Asmar, recently met with Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, alongside central labor office manager in 'Amal Movement', Ali Hamdan.
During the meeting, Al-Asmar highlighted several pressing demands concerning public sector and Lebanese University employees amid the nation's challenging economic and social conditions. He stated, "We insisted on securing funds for disbursing six additional salaries for the public sector employees, emphasizing the urgent need for swift distribution to assist employees in current trying times." He added, "We also advocated for extending persistence compensation to employees of public institutions and independent investment interests to achieve equality with other public administration workers. Furthermore, we requested a review of compensation for arbitration board members, arguing for fair financial allowances commensurate with their duties."
Al-Asmar emphasized the need for allocated funding for the Lebanese University mutual fund, considering its crucial role in ensuring health and social coverage for university administrative staff and retirees.
The General Confederation of Lebanese Workers reiterated to the Finance Minister its firm rejection of any plans to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) by 1%, stressing that additional tax burdens on citizens are intolerable at this stage. Al-Asmar argued that any VAT increase would immediately impact the prices of goods and services, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals and the middle class, calling instead for policies that alleviate citizens' burdens.
Concluding the meeting, Al-Asmar expressed appreciation for Minister Jaber’s attentiveness to their demands and his willingness to address these issues. Al-Asmar hopes this positivity will translate into practical decisions that uphold employees' rights and consider the country's difficult social realities.