A human rights report criticized the low salary average in Egypt that has reached LE 142 per month, which means that the average daily income is LE 4.75, a figure that is below the poverty line of $2 a day (11 pounds). The report was issued yesterday by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. It says Egypt ranks 5th in the Middle East in regards to low salary levels, and 62nd out of 112 countries worldwide, according to the socio-political report of the United Nations in January. The report attributed that deepening crisis to the government's disregard for social policies that balance between wages and prices. It said the National Wage Council has not yet determined a minimum wage, although it was formed more than six years ago.
It also said that, despite an increase of 54-58 working hours per week, the minimum annual wage is $ 425 vs. $ 1775 in Morocco. And surprisingly enough, the report revealed that the salaries of the public sector are higher than the private sector, whereby the average monthly salary in the former is LE 684 vs. LE 576 in the latter. It also said that the deterioration of economic and social rights has led to more deterioration in human rights, pointing out that only the workers that are appropriately remunerated get their full rights. It stated that raising the minimum wage is not enough if it is not linked to amending the mechanisms of the market and the economy, warning that such an increase may trigger inflation. It said the minimum wage must not be below the cost of the essential goods and services, and must be amended periodically in light of the scoring prices. It also called for subsidizing the essential goods and services of the poor and for the National Wage Council to determine a minimum wage, as it has not done so since its establishment in 2003.
