Oman’s minimum wage earners call for pay increase

DUBAI: Low waged Omanis are calling on their government to push up minimum salary rates to meet rising costs brought on by inflation, UAE daily The National has reported. Currently the minimum wage is set at 325 Omani rials ($844), the last time it was increased was in 2013 when the Ministry of Manpower approved raising it from 200 riyals ($519). Inflation in Oman, which has been driven up by food and fuel prices, has been recorded at an average 4.3 percent over the past three years. Meanwhile motorists have seen the price of petrol increase by nearly 75 percent since the country’s fixed-price policy was scrapped in January last year. The price for regular fuel at the pump increased from 114 baisa ($0.29) per liter to 186 baisa ($0.48) in February. The majority of minimum wage earners work in the retail sector and low-level administration. “I think it is time the government increases the minimum wage to a decent level, so we can look after our families properly,” Raeed Al-Balushi, 27, told the newspaper. “It is too hard to live on 325 rials a month. You don’t get a lot these days for your shopping bag.” In Oman some low wage earners even have a second job to increase their income. Khalifa Al Naadi, 31, a school bus driver, also works as a taxi driver. “Food prices have gone up a lot in the last three years. I don’t bring home enough money to support my children…Petrol is also expensive, and I struggle to make ends meet,” he explained Abdul Rahim Al-Saadi told The National he has started a petition calling for an increase in the minimum wage that he will present to the elected legislative body the Majlis Al Shoura. The Majlis Al Shoura is required to approve the petition before it was put before cabinet ministers for approval. Al-Saadi said a minimum wage of 450 rials ($1,169) would be considered fair as it would close to the 475 rials ($1,234) starting rate salaries in the public sector. And the call has received the backing of employment experts, who say the increase would boost productivity in the private sector. “More money in their pockets simply would mean working more, and companies would see higher profits,” said independent manpower consultant, Hareb Al-Falahy.