A unified basic salary, with allowances kept for the nature of the work
LIBYA – Academic Khaled Al-Maslati has said pay disparities have become one of the most prominent issues under discussion, arguing that understanding them requires going back to their roots and how they have developed over past decades.
Relatively similar pay before the economic shift
Speaking to Sputnik, Al-Maslati said the salary system under the former regime was marked by a high degree of similarity in pay between employees across different state sectors, with limited differences and privileges linked to the nature of certain jobs.
The Libya Al-Ghad project and the start of the gap
He said the shift began with the launch of the “Libya Al-Ghad” (Libya Tomorrow) project in the mid-2000s and the state’s move towards economic openness and a greater role for the private sector, arguing that the transition should have been gradual and carried out through clear mechanisms.
Foreign investment and higher pay in some sectors
He said the entry of foreign investment into some institutions and companies later led to significantly higher pay for their employees compared with staff in other sectors, contributing to a gradual widening of income disparities.
After 2011, no unified framework
He added that the events of 2011 halted the process then under way and left economic transition and privatisation without a clear framework, while benefits and salaries expanded in some sectors without unified standards.
Flaws in hiring and job allocation
Al-Maslati stressed that the problem was not limited to differences in salaries but had been compounded by the absence of clear criteria for hiring and job allocation in some state institutions, which contributed to overstaffing and drew employees towards sectors offering higher benefits.
Performance and productivity as key criteria
He said higher salaries do not necessarily mean better performance, arguing that institutions should be assessed against performance and productivity indicators, not just pay levels.
Call for a unified salary scale
Al-Maslati stressed the need for a unified salary scale across state sectors, including oil, finance, health, education, oversight bodies, municipalities and others, while retaining the privileges and allowances linked to the nature of the work.
Unifying basic pay does not mean removing differences
He explained that unifying the basic salary does not mean abolishing differences dictated by the nature of certain jobs, noting that those working at desert sites or in jobs with special conditions could receive additional allowances and benefits, while the basic salary would remain unified according to grade, qualifications and experience.
Redistributing skilled staff and health insurance
He said adopting such a system could curb the movement of employees between sectors in search of higher salaries and help achieve greater fairness in employment and a more balanced distribution of skilled staff.
He also called for health insurance for employees to be studied through a clear system providing adequate coverage via set contributions, arguing that health insurance could form part of the social benefits package alongside reform and unification of the salary structure.
