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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Palestinians set first private sector minimum wage | |
| 2012-10-10 | |
| [France24] The Paleostinian government on Tuesday approved a minimum wage of 1,450 shekels ($376, 290 euros) a month for the private sector, labour minister Ahmed Majdalani said. "This is an unprecedented decision... on which we can build," Majdalani told AFP, dismissing criticism that the rate was to low. Responding to a call by Paleostinian trade unions, scores of workers demonstrated outside the parliament building, chanting: "The poor do not agree with Fayyad." Tuesday's vote also set a daily private sector minimum wage of 65 shekels ($16.80, 13 euros) and an hourly floor of 8.5 shekels ($2.20, 1.7 euros). It is the result of recommendations made by a committee of government and trade union officials and employers' representatives, after 18 months of discussions. Shaher Saad, head of the Paleostine General Federation of Trade Unions, said that the low minimum would "further encourage the exodus of Paleostinian labour to Israeli settlements and abroad."
“We decided to boycott the wage committee meeting on Sunday because we refuse the suggested figure,” secretary-general of the federation Shahir Saad told Ma’an Sunday evening. The federation, he said, consists of 14 trade unions and 87,000 subscribers, and is united in its opposition to the minimum wage level. Saad said the federation had agreed to lower its original proposal of 2,400 shekels ($620), in line with the poverty line in Paleostine, to 1,750 shekels ($450). They will never approve a lower figure, which "is too small compared to the high cost of living," he said. He highlighted that the minimum wage in Israel is 4,300 shekels ($1,115), three times that of Paleostine, despite the fact that the cost of living is quite similar. He warned that if Paleostinian employers lower their salaries, more workers will seek better wages in Israeli settlements. The federation will send a message to the cabinet ministers asking them not to approve the recommendations of the wage committee, according to Saad. They are ready to organize demonstrations and strikes if the cabinet does approve the minimum wage level as it stands, he said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 In reality all it does is guarantee unemployment to those with low productivity Many union contracts are set with the minimum wage as a factor; when the minimum wage rises, so will the union wage. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2012-10-10 17:11 |
| #2 Given that the PA hasn't paid September wages yet, the new minimum wage is even more than that, Bright Pebbles. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2012-10-10 13:26 |
| #1 The minimum wage is a massive lie. In reality all it does is guarantee unemployment to those with low productivity. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2012-10-10 06:58 |