Memorandum from National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers and Employees criticizing the current livelihoods situation in Lebanon and calling for a higher minimum wage

The National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers and Employees submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Labor, Sejaan Azzi, in which it addresses a number of key areas of concern namely trade union freedoms, the freedom to organize  in the public sector, strengthening the inspection department in the Ministry of Labor, competition with foreign labor, securing a permanent employment status to daily workers and adjusting salaries in addition to the realities of the trade union movement and other issues of concern.

In this memorandum, the National Federation calls for revising the minimum wage which is now insufficient to meet citizens’ basic needs as well as speeding up the salaries’ adjustment process for employees in the private and public sector.  The memorandum highlights the growing gap between salaries and existing services on the one hand and the high cost of living and poverty line on the other due to the sharp drop in purchasing power and which has exceeded 50% as a result of financial and monetary policies followed as well as halting subsidies on essential goods.  The National Federation called for increasing the minimum wage to LBP 1 million and 200 thousand per month and for integrating benefits such as transportation and school subsidies into the salary.

Finally, the memorandum deplored the current situation of the trade union movement in Lebanon because of the political interventions which have affected its autonomy and effectiveness.  As a result, the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL) is no longer the sole representative of the interests of workers.

Source: Al-Safir 23 April 2014