Lebanon’s Wage Index Committee agreed on Monday to cover the cost of five liters of gasoline for each working day and increase family allowances, Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar said after a meeting of the committee.

The measures will take effect once the government issues the necessary decrees, Haidar said.

The committee also agreed to hold regular meetings to continue discussions on the minimum wage and end-of-service compensation, he said.

“We have given ourselves one month to refer the matter to the Wage Index Committee and then to the government,” Haidar said.

Nicolas Chammas, secretary-general of the Economic Organizations, said employers were committed to protecting their institutions and employees but should not be held responsible for the current economic situation or tax burden.

Beshara al-Asmar, head of the General Labor Union, described the agreement as a positive step, saying it covered workers governed by Lebanon’s Labor Law.