No pay raise in Algeria before 2016, says expert

A tripartite meeting was held between the government, the central union and employers a week ago but many questions are still without answers concerning pay raise.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said some categories of employees will get pay raise starting from next January. Yet, experts believe that the decision will not be implemented before 2016.

Although the tripartite meeting discussed other axes such as economic enterprises development and business climate improvement, people continue to raise questions about the direct impact on their daily life.

Mohamed Hamidouche, a former expert at the International Monetary Fund expected that the government would not reach a clear idea about the ban on Article 87 bis before 2016. This is due to interference between social and economic data in the revision of minimum wage (SMIG).

“In the absence of the motive related to economic indicator, we can say that the expected pay raise may not be concretized before 2016,” he said.

Earlier in the tripartite meeting, Sellal said the ban on the article will be applied starting from January 2015. Yet, he pointed out that only employees with low salary will get pay raise.