KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem meets representatives of the oil workers unions yesterday. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Representatives of the oil workers unions yesterday met with National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem, who vowed that the unified scale will not be implemented before being thoroughly studied by the National Assembly. MP Faisal Al-Kundari said a number of MPs also attended the meeting adding that Ghanem told the unions that the pay scale will not be applied before meeting with the unions and hearing their demands.

Head of the oil workers trade union Saif Al-Qahtani said Ghanem called the Finance Minister and Acting Oil Minister Anas Al-Saleh and asked him not to take any decisions regarding oil sector salaries before the issue is discussed and an amicable solution is reached. Qahtani said that the Speaker also called on all sides to cooperate to face the current economic situation and that another meeting will take place soon.

In the meantime, rapporteur of the Assembly Human Resources Committee, which will study the new pay scale, MP Awdah Al-Awdah stressed that if the new scale is not applied to all sectors equally, it will fail. He said the proposed scale achieves justice and equality among employees and does not hurt any section.

Last Tuesday, more than 3,000 workers and the heads of several unions from Kuwait's different oil companies gathered at the OPIWC headquarters in Ahmadi to protest government plans to cut benefits and possibly wages, known as the 'Strategic Alternative'. "We are against the Strategic Alternative which is death to the oil sector. Also we are also against privatizing the oil sector which will put us under the power of private sector and the businessmen," Qahtani said at last Tuesday's protest. Several lawmakers including MPs Kandari and Abdullah Al-Tamimi were present at the unions' rally.

Kuwait's government-run oil sector employs nearly 20,000 workers. The Strategic Alternative as outlined by the government would implement a new salary scale that would 'unify' the salaries and benefits for all state employees including those in the strategic oil sector, though diplomats, doctors, military personnel and engineers would be excluded under the current proposal.

Retrenchment steps

Meanwhile, Cabinet yesterday appreciated the positive corrective steps taken by the oil sector in order to cut spending in light of the current financial situation in the country. The Cabinet said during its routine meeting presided by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah that such moves are compatible with the current orientations aiming to reform the financial and economic condition, while keeping oil workers' basic rights and gains intact. The retrenchment measures are applied to workers at all state agencies and bodies, the cabinet said, reiterating that such efforts reflect the aspired cooperation in order to overcome this critical stage.

In this context, the Cabinet listened to a briefing by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Acting Oil Minister Anas Al-Saleh on measures being taken within the framework of financial and economic reforms. Such measures include a fresh clear-cut, transparent and fair mechanism for raising the charges of public property exploitation.

The Cabinet then reviewed the report of the Kuwait National Competitiveness Committee, which analyzed the competitive aspects of the Kuwaiti economy based on the findings of the Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 - issued by the World Economic Forum. The report showed that Kuwait came 34th in the Global Competitiveness Index, which reflected good improvement compared to the situation over the past years.

The Cabinet further approved and referred to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a draft bill on modifying electricity and water charges. The bill that will later find its way to the National Assembly, aims at slashing the imbalances caused by the excessive demand and consumption rates. - Agencies