Business Leaders to Adopt Tough Response to Wage Boost
The head of the Beirut Merchant Association Nicolas Shammas said Wednesday that the private sector would adopt a tough response to a government approval to boost wages.
Representatives of the public sector are scheduled to hold a meeting at 3:00 pm to voice their outrage at the wage increase over fears that companies will have to lay off workers and even shut down their businesses.
The business leaders claim that many firms are financially incapable of implementing the decision on salary increases.
They supported the government decision to raise the minimum wage to LL700,000 but insisted on offering a salary increase of only LL150,000 for workers earning less than LL1.5 million.
The cabinet raised by LL200,000 the wages of people earning less than LL1 million. As for those who earn between LL1 million and LL1.8 million, they got a LL300,000 raise.
Shammas told LBC TV network that the government measure is not enough. “What we care about is the improvement of living conditions for all factions in all professions.”
“However, we are open for dialogue and we assume our social responsibilities,” he said.
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