The state budget, recently approved by the Lebanese parliament, has sparked protests among government workers, leading to an open-ended strike.
Fuel stations now face renewed queues as oil-importing companies reject an additional tax, raising concerns about potential closures and fuel shortages.
Around 12,000 public administration employees have begun a warning strike lasting until February 9, with the possibility of extending it if their concerns aren’t addressed.
They oppose the budget for imposing high fees and taxes without adequate salary and allowance increases.
Judicial assistants, numbering between 800 and 1,000, will join the strike on Thursday, potentially disrupting Lebanese courts.
Lebanon’s 2024 budget doesn't provide enough for employees to meet their basic needs.
The budget includes a threefold increase in the base salary, along with a previous raise of seven salaries in the past year.
This means that 80% of employees, with monthly salaries ranging from one to two million Lebanese pounds (about 11 to 22 dollars), will only get around $200 monthly after factoring in the tenfold increase.
This amount is insufficient, according to Nawal Nasr, head of the Public Administration Employee’s Union, who is trying to communicate with the Lebanese government for a solution.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Nasr criticized the budget, stating that the proposed allowances are not enough for water, electricity, transportation, and dealing with the rising prices of essential goods due to new fees and taxes.
Nasr highlighted the unfairness of salary multipliers, as employees in public institutions receive varying salaries.
She pointed out the absence of a standardized salary scale, leading to salary differences among employees.
The value of salaries in Lebanon has declined due to the sharp depreciation of the exchange rate from 1,500 Lebanese pounds to the dollar in 2019 to around 90,000 pounds to the dollar.
The government has not increased the base salary but provided incentives in the form of salary assistance to help employees cope.
While some allocations were increased for certain sectors, Nasr criticized the situation as “salary chaos” and a “dismantling of the public sector,” which is suffering from an alarming vacancy rate of up to 80%.
The Union is urging salary corrections to restore pre-crisis levels, as salaries have lost 92% of their value compared to 2018.
This adjustment aims to ensure a minimum living standard and compensate for the devaluation of end-of-service benefits that currently hold little value.
