Dispute over pay differentials puts sit-in back in the spotlight
LIBYA – Teachers’ Union member Ashraf Al-Hadi has said the announcement that classes would resume next Sunday was initially made in response to teachers’ goodwill and their concern for the public interest and students, before the union reversed the decision after being surprised by a Ministry of Finance statement denying that funds were available for the differentials owed to teachers, according to his account.
October pledges and the Finance Ministry statement
In comments to Libya Al-Ahrar TV, which broadcasts from Turkey — followed and summarised by Al-Marsad — Al-Hadi said the first announcement of a return followed pledges by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in the presence of an MP in Tajoura municipality, to pay the financial differentials due during October.
He added that the Ministry of Finance later announced that the differentials were not available and that only the lesson allowance would be paid, prompting the union to issue a statement explaining the circumstances behind its decision not to resume classes.
Accusations of stalling and blame placed on the government
Al-Hadi described the Ministry of Finance’s position as “blatant stalling” and a lack of seriousness and transparency on the part of the Dbeibah government and the executive authorities in meeting teachers’ demands, accusing the Minister of Finance of being responsible for the continuing strike and sit-in at all education control offices.
He held the executive authorities fully legally responsible for the failure to meet teachers’ demands, according to his statements.
Pay differentials and the unified salary scale
He stressed that the lesson allowance was never the movement’s main goal; rather, the aim is the urgent payment of financial differentials accumulated over years and the adoption of a unified salary scale that guarantees a decent life for education staff.
He added that the union had contacted a finance official at the Central Bank of Libya who, according to him, showed understanding of the demands and said he needed a month and a half to complete the salary scale.
Conditions for continuing classes and the return to the strike
He explained that the union had proposed paying the differentials and continuing classes until the unified scale was completed, but the lack of guarantees and the Finance Ministry’s reversal led it, after consulting all the movement’s leaders, to confirm that the strike would continue.
He stressed that the union is not against the educational process and puts students’ interests first, but believes the start of the school year should not be set before teachers’ demands are met.
