FPM Ministers Lash out at Miqati, Describe Approval of Wage Hike as ‘Failure’
Free Patriotic Movement ministers have blasted Premier Najib Miqati for proposing an alternative to Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ decree on the wage boost for private and public sector employees.
“The formula approved by the council of ministers is not in favor of the workers,” Nahhas told As Safir newspaper on Thursday, a day after the cabinet approved Miqati’s proposal.
He criticized the PM for preparing his proposal without consulting any political party.
Asked why the Hizbullah ministers voted in favor of Miqati’s suggestion instead of supporting his decree, Nahhas said: “You ask them.”
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, another FPM official, also told As Safir that Miqati blew the chance for the cabinet to approve a comprehensive decree on wages and allowances.
He described the government’s approval of the PM’s proposal as a “failure,” saying “this was a bad mark added to the cabinet’s performance.”
“But still we would give it time to improve its productivity,” Bassil added.
The cabinet voted on Wednesday to increase the minimum wage from the current LL500,000 to LL600,000. It also decided to give employees with wages under LL1 million a 30 percent up to a LL200,000 salary increase. While workers with salaries above LL1 million, would get a 20 percent hike up to LL275,000.
But the decision was a blow to FPM chief Michel Aoun who said Wednesday that his Change and Reform bloc ministers would attend the cabinet session because Nahhas has proposed the wage hike decree.
Aoun was dealt a further blow when a member of the bloc, Minister Vrej Sabounjian, voted in favor of Miqati’s proposal in addition to the ministers of Hizbullah, who are his allies in the government.
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