54 deputies urge gov’t to increase salaries, pensions

AMMAN — Fifty-four MPs have signed a memo to urge the government to increase the salaries and pensions of civil servants and military servicemen. 

The memo, initiated by MP Mohammad Qatatsheh, called on the government to include an article in the 2016 draft state budget law to raise the salaries of retired and working public servants as “economic security is part of social security”. 

The memo, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, said the government should raise salaries as Jordanians were impacted by its decisions over the past three years, referring to tax hikes and the removal of fuel subsidies.

General Budget Department Director Mohammad Hazaimeh said in recent remarks to The Jordan Times that the 2016 draft budget law would include the annual “normal” salary increases. 

The cost of salaries for retired and working employees is estimated at JD1.3 billion, according to the figures of next year’s budget. 

The budget includes a nearly JD9 million increase in the living expense allowance as the overall value of the allowance for all employees is projected to be around JD304 million next year compared to JD295 million in 2015.