BEIRUT: In a first for Lebanon, the General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees filed separate complaints to the International Labor Organization against the Labor Ministry Tuesday for failing to respect labor laws and procedures.Both sides claim that the Labor Ministry and Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas are deliberately obstructing an agreement reached between the GLC and the Economic Committees on the transportation allowance.

Nahhas, who Tuesday tendered his resignation to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun after refusing to sign the transportation allowance decree, insists that such an allocation does not exist and points out that the Shura Council has backed his argument many times.

The minister, who refuses to make any comment on his resignation, had earlier called for adding the transportation allowance to employees’ basic salary – a proposal which was strongly rejected by the private sector under the pretext that this move would place more financial burdens on all companies.

This is the first time in Lebanon’s history that the GLC and the private sector have ganged up against the Labor Ministry.

Sources told The Daily Star that the GLC and the private sector resorted to the ILO after the Shura Council remained adamant in its position concerning the transportation allowance.

Nehmeh Frem, the president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, told the ILO president in a letter that the Labor Ministry has dismissed the agreement reached between the GLC and the private sector on wages and transportation allowances.

“This was the first time that the GLC and private sector struck an agreement on wages and social benefits, and in spite of that the Labor Ministry refused to acknowledge this historic accord,” Frem said, calling on the ILO president to support the GLC-private sector agreement.

Frem added that the private sector and the GLC also agreed to modify the transportation and education allowances in line with increases in inflation and the cost of living.

The GLC brushed off accusations that it is was seeking foreign intervention in Lebanese affairs.

“The ILO intervention is not meddling in Lebanese affairs. The Lebanese law and constitution authorizes the government to seek the help of the ILO if one party in the country refuses to abide by the labor laws,” the GLC said in the statement.

The row over the transportation allowance has divided the Cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, with some ministers fully backing Nahhas while others demand he officially step down if he refuses to sign the decree.

Two MPs are expected to present separate draft laws on transportation allowances Wednesday in an attempt to break the deadlock on this issue.

Sources said that it is in everyone’s interest to find a compromise on this controversial matter in order to resume the Cabinet sessions.

The government endorsed a plan three months ago to raise the minimum wage from LL500,000 to LL675,000. Employees earning over LL1.5 million will be entitled for a LL299,000 increment. The law will become effective at the end of February.