The Lebanese cabinet met at Baabda Presidential Palace on Wednesday evening and approved the wage increases that were agreed on Tuesday night between Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the General Workers Union.
Mikati on Tuesday agreed to raise the minimum wage from 500,000 LL to 700,000 L.L, and to raise wages of up to 1 million L.L by 200,000 L.L and wages ranging from 1 million to 1,8 million L.L. by 300,000 L.L
The economic committees voiced their reservation over the deal and the GWU suspended the strike that was planned for October 12.
Several unions announced Wednesday their rejection of the deal
Other issues
Information Minister Walid Daouq told the press after the cabinet session that the following issues were also discussed
– The cabinet approved proposed plans from the Public Works Ministry and the Finance Ministry,
– General Robert Jabbour was appointed as deputy director general of the Internal Security Forces.
– President Michel Suleiman who chaired the cabinet meeting called for the immediate implementation of the law banning smoking in public places and institutions.
– Mikati said that the salary increase will be accompanied by measures aiming at controlling prices in order to avoid cost of living increases. There is a serious concern that the wage increase could cause inflation since the minimum wage was increased by 40 %
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