Bahrain Mirror: The General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain (GFWTUB) said that the government's decision to raise gasoline prices violates both the text and spirit of a principle confirmed by the constitution, which is not resorting to steps that would rest additional financial burdens on citizens or increasing the prices, fees or taxes without referring to the representatives of the people (the members of parliament) and other social groups.

The Union stressed in a statement issued on Wednesday (January 13, 2016) that the manner in which the decision was adopted, clearly showed the absence of social dialogue. Despite the dangers behind this decision and its negative repercussions on the live of average people, it was taken unilaterally without consultation and exchange of views, on which social partnership and coexistence are based.

"The executive authority had taken, earlier, a decision unilaterally to lift subsidies on meat, and today it repeated this decision by raising fuel prices. While in the near future we may hear about lifting subsidies on vital services like electricity and water", it further added.

"Recently, the country went through a period of oil prices recovery until a single barrel price reached up to USD 135. This increase was not positively reflected on the citizens' lives, yet with the falling oil prices today, we find that the average citizen is carrying the burden of the public budget deficit", it stressed.

The Trade Unions called for "establishing a supreme council for social dialogue and a supreme council of wages, which will be entrusted with the responsibility of taking decisions affecting all social classes and periodic correction of wages suiting the country's economic situation."

GFWTUB  asked the members of both the Shura Council and House of Representatives to take on their responsibilities and seek seriously and actively using all the possible means to stop these decisions which affect all the citizens. It also said that they [the MPs] are "facing a historical responsibility, they have swore before God and before all the citizens to protect the interests of these people."

It concluded its statement by saying that "from a position of responsibility, the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain announces its complete opposition to the unilateral decisions to lift subsidies on services and commodities."

Arabic Issue