Two-hour strike planned at Justice Palace
KUWAIT CITY: The 11/11 bloc recently held a press conference dubbed 'Your increment is rejected' to reply to the increment approved by Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
For his part, the secretary-general of the bloc Nasser Al-Shelaimi said this increment is laughable. However, it is not strange because they believe that the old ideology of the former government is still applicable.
"The government particularly the finance minister must realize the needs of the citizens and their problem.
Unfortunately, our governments are like shop owners and the citizens customers," added Al-Shelaimi.
He stressed the citizens have lost trust in the government ability to solve their problems. In addition, a majority of the citizens think the government is already the key reason of their problems.
He called upon the government to stop the manner of negotiating with citizens. He stressed the Constitution guarantees the principle of justice and equality in rights and duties.
Yet, there are employees who hold the same academic qualifications and do the same work but they receive 150 percent salary more than that of their colleagues.
He called upon the government to review the increments in line with the principle of equality and justice. He also requested the parliament to allot a session to do justice for employees and retired personnel.
Justice Ministry
Meanwhile, head of workers union at the Ministry of Justice Ahmad Al-Hudhal was recently quoted as saying the union has rejected the 25 percent salary increment which was recently endorsed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), because it did not include every citizen in the agencies affiliated to the judiciary, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Al-Hudhal added during a meeting with the head of the CSC Abdulaziz Al-Zabun the latter confirmed the increment is between KD 60 and 400 for Ministry of Justice employees but it only includes employees holding diplomas and graduates and not for those holding high school certificates and below. He added the agencies affiliated to the judiciary play a critical role in the judiciary system.
Al-Hudhal has called upon the Prime Minister to ensure justice is done to everyone without discrimination, because, the manner in which the increment money has been distributed is sheer injustice.
He added the employees at the affiliated agencies will conduct a two-hour strike at the Palace of Justice starting from Monday. The strike will then be conducted on larger scale to include all court, administration and its affiliate employees.
Al-Hudhal stated the union has addressed a letter to the Prime Minister to review the latest increment proposal by the workers union of the Ministry of Justice.
KAC
MP Dr Abdul-Hamid Dashti urged the government to fulfill agreements and promises made to labor unions, blaming the latter for losses resulting from the strike demonstrations by the unions, reports Al-Wasat daily.
MP Dashti said this in a press statement he sent from Switzerland.
He specifically urged government to honor the agreement it signed with Executive Director and Chairman of Trade Union of Kuwait Airways Corporation on Oct 24, 2011.
He reminded that the agreement specified salary and allowances increments to Kuwait Airways workers like their counterparts in the public sector.
He implored government to execute the agreement completely to avoid undue losses.
KLIS
Board Chairperson of Kuwait Library and Information Society (KLIS) Abdul-Azia Al-Suweit says Civil Service Commission (CSC) was vague in its announcement of salary and allowances increments for ministries and agencies, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Al-Suweit said librarians and information professionals were not included in the category, which is against the principle of justice and fairness.
He observed that CSC did not study the increments thoroughly before approval and subsequent announcement.
He said the commission also failed to meet with concerned agencies to discuss their recommendations to arrive at an agreeable solution.
He disclosed that librarians hold minimum of bachelor's degree in education, but they do not have job titles and salaries commensurable with their academic attainments.
He lamented that information professionals should be properly compensated especially in this age of information explosion where there is need for transfer of publications to electronic versions requiring technical work, classification and cataloging.
© Arab Times 2012
