With the increase in transportation fees by 50%, the rise in fuel prices, and the leak of a decision by the Ministry of Internal Trade on raising transportation fees by 25%, the voices of state workers began to be raised. They questioned the economic feasibility of their work if going to work and transportation costs would exceed 50% of their salary.
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The employee, Alaa Noureddine, pays for transport by taxis from the Douma area in Damascus countryside to his place of work in Baramkeh, up to 60 thousand Syrian pounds per month. He says to Athr: “My salary is 120 thousand Syrian pounds after serving more than 15 years in the state and my work in the Baramkeh area. I asked to collect my shift two days a week, but my request was not approved, and today I am between two options, either leaving work or work with half a salary. All public transportation has stopped going to hot spots, and despite the cessation of military operations, some institutions have not gone to these areas at all.”
Qusai al-Taweel, a hospital employee who lives in the workers’ city of Adra, believes that all those living in Addameer and surrounding areas working in Damascus need two means of transportation to get to work, paying more than 70% of their salaries every month.
The same percentage is paid by all residents of the airport road areas and in villages that need to ride more than one car to reach their workplace in Damascus, as well as the new lines of Artouz, Qatana and the surrounding areas.
Through the follow-up of Athr website for transportation fees for the areas of Dimas, Jdeidet Yabous, Ain al-Fijeh and the surrounding villages to Damascus, road fees are equivalent to between 80-90% of the employee’s salary. Meanwhile, those who live in the Mezzeh 86 area pay about 30% of their salary, while those who live in the areas of Damascus and need to reach their work by riding in more than one vehicle need 60% of their salary.
In a simple calculation, if the salary ceiling of the employee of the first category is 156,470, and the salary of appointing the lowest employee is about 93,000 pounds, and the employee needs 60,000 pounds in the minimum for those who are an employee in Damascus and live in rural Damascus, it means that the employee’s share of his salary is less than the share of the road fare he pays.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
