The General Workers Union said in a statement that it has suspended the general strike that was planned for Wednesday after the cabinet decided to raise the minimum wage to 700,000 LL

The General Workers Union said on Wednesday in a statement that it has suspended the general strike that was planned for Wednesday after the cabinet decided to raise the minimum wage to 700,000 LL.

The announcement came following the declaration of Information Minister Walid Daouq on Tuesday night in which he said that “an amount of 200,000 LL was added to wages up to 1,000,000 LL and 300,000 LL to wages ranging from 1,000,000 LL to 1,800,000 LL.”

But the government did not boost the wage of workers who earn more than 1.8 million LL.

Daouq also quoted Prime Minister Najib Miqati as saying that “the workers’ demands are righteous but the solutions must preserve balance between the workers’ and the employers’ demands, and the [state’s] capacity to apply [the decision] on the public sector.”

Moreover, Daouq noted that Miqati asked the economy ministry “to [prevent] unjustifiable price rise for consumer goods.”

It was a fait accompli settlement that would open door for new crisis in the cabinet  as the Union said it has reservation regarding the cabinet’s decision calling the increase as too little and unfair.

Ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun have expressed outrage at the deal reached to raise wages and increase benefits, saying the agreement was only a “tranquilizer.”