After the meeting of the committee working on the repercussions of the financial and economic crisis on the functioning of the public utility, the Lebanese Prime Minister announced granting social assistance to workers in the public sector and an increase in the daily transportation bonus.
The committee decided to increase the daily transportation bonus to 64,000 Lebanese pounds ($2.7 according to the black market) as of November 1, in light of the high transportation costs with the government lifting fuel subsidies.
Last September, the government amended the daily transportation bonus for workers in the private and public sectors to 24,000 pounds instead of 8,000 pounds, but the increase is no longer helpful with the lifting of fuel subsidies and the rise in the dollar exchange rate against the Lebanese pound, which reached its lowest rate.
The committee also decided to disburse social assistance to workers in the public sector, amounting to half a salary given for the months of November and December before Christmas and New Year, provided that it is less than 1.5 million pounds ($65) and not more than 3 million pounds ($130).
The social bonus will include everyone who works in a public utility in the public sector.
The Public Administration Employees Association announced on November 8, suspending their open strike and having instead a partial strike in which workers will work on Wednesdays and deal with emergent cases.
After the salaries lost about 95% of their value, the association demands that salaries be calculated on the basis of the cost of living index. They, also, demand that fuel vouchers be secured for employees after the government lifted subsidies on basic materials including fuel, medicine, and wheat.
#Lebanon #Crisis #Social_assistance
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