FNC member reiterates call for higher Government wages

ABU DHABI // Despite a UAE Minister announcing that Government employees will not receive pay rises anytime soon, a Federal National Council member has called for the matter to be reconsidered.

At last week’s public FNC session, Obaid Al Tayer, the Minister of State for Finance Affairs, said the Government had no plans to increase the pay of public sector workers. Salaries for Government workers between Grades 7 and 14 were sufficient, he added.

Since then, Mosabeh Al Kitbi (Sharjah) has called on the Government to think again.

He said the federal Government should follow the lead of Sharjah, which recently set a minimum wage for Emirati government staff of Dh11,000.

Mr Al Kitbi noted that some Emiratis made only Dh5,000 a month and struggled to support their families.

“A lot of the time we find the father in continuous struggle due to his low income and a long list of expenses,” he said. “Providing food and drink continuously comes at a cost for each member in a family, clothing also, and special occasions at schools and birthdays and weddings and the like. This all adds to the father’s burdens, in addition to providing all the above to all domestic workers in the home.”

He added that those whose children attend private schools face additional expenses, and cited other issues such as bank loans for cars and homes.

“The question is, is Dh5,000 enough for all these expenses?” he said. “And is it logical that a person who works earns Dh5,000 and a person who retires earns Dh10,000?”

He said the Government was aware of the number of Emiratis in its employ at such a low wage, and called for immediate action.

He added that “fathers”, or breadwinners, need not deprive their families from happiness or deprive their wives and children of a life that others were living.