Senate staffers Wednesday accused their department heads of carving out raises for themselves and leaving their junior employees out of government-ordered raises.
“We will petition the government if our salaries are not increased. If they raise salaries just for the higher positions, not the smaller people, it is discrimination,” Senate civil servant Pong Chantha told senators.
The Senate is looking into salary increases for its employees, following a government subdecree ordering raises for civil servants. Some staffers say their bosses have already found ways to give themselves raises, but have not done anything to help rank-and-file Senate workers.
“I was told by my boss the salary increase is only for the directors of the departments on up. I told him, if there is no raise for general staff, there will be a problem,” Senate staff member Kry Song said.
But the outrage comes too early, Senate Secretary General Um Sarith said.
“Our committee is still discussing our internal affairs. We have not yet reached any formula for any group of employees,” Um Sarith said.
Um Sarith denied the allegations Thursday. “We are looking to find a measure for every staff member and official to get a raise. The discussion among officials is to make it fair to everyone and make everyone accept the raises,” he said.
The dispute comes as bad news to staffers of the National Assembly, whose employees make more money on average than their Senate counterparts.
“Government civil servants’ salaries have been lower than National Assembly staffers for many years, so let [civil servants] get their raise first,” National Assembly Deputy Secretary-General Chan Ven said.
Donors have urged the government for years to raise civil servants’ salaries as a way to cut down on corruption that wracks the country.
Monthly income for low- and mid-level civil servants varies from between 200,000 riel (about $50) to 400,000 ($100) per month.
