The cabinet will most likely deliberate on a fourth decision on the wage hike next week as the Shura Council is inclined to disapprove a proposal made by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas, An Nahar daily said Saturday.

The third government decision came last week after Nahhas made a proposal to set the minimum wage at LL868,000 – a sum that includes a LL236,000 transportation allowance.

The Shura Council has described a cabinet decision on a wage hike as “illegal” after Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas proposed it to the government, knocking down a last-minute deal made between the General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees, ministerial sources said.

In remarks to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Friday, the sources expected the Shura Council to refer the decision back to the cabinet.

The implementation of a cabinet decision on the wage hike was on Wednesday postponed till next year after the Shura Council failed to issue its stance ahead of the last government session.

The cabinet convened at Baabda palace on Wednesday – its last session for this year - in the hopes that the Council would issue its decision ahead of the meeting. But the Council failed to do so and it was still not clear whether it would approve the wage boost or not.

A wage hike made by the cabinet last week will most likely not be published in the official gazette this year as the Shura Council failed to issue its stance on the decision ahead of the last government session for 2011.

The cabinet convened at Baabda palace at noon Wednesday to discuss 37 items placed on its agenda. President Michel Suleiman and Premier Najib Miqati held closed-door talks ahead of the session.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati is reportedly upset with the government’s decision to approve Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ proposals on the wage hike, sources close to the premier told the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah newspaper in remarks published on Monday.

They said that cabinet decision, which was led by the alliance between Hizbullah, AMAL, and the Free Patriotic Movement ministers, sought to send a message that this alliance is the true controller of the government and not Miqati.

The General Labor Confederation announced on Friday that it has suspended the strike it was planning on holding on December 27.

The confederation made the decision after agreeing on the government’s wage hike, which adopted Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ proposals on the matter.

Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas expressed relief on Friday over the approval of the wage hike decree proposed by him, stressing that as soon as the Shura Council issues its verdict it will be published in the official gazette.

“We hope that it will be submitted for publication in the official gazette by Thursday, since it’s before the end of the year and the people will be paid their rights in accordance with the holidays,” Nahhas told As Safir newspaper.

Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud stressed on Friday that the approval of a wage hike decree proposed by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas was not aimed at sending a political message to Premier Najib Miqati.

“It is all about (defending) the authorities of the ministers,” Abboud told Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) about a decision by Hizbullah, Amal and Free Patriotic Movement ministers to back Nahhas’ proposal rather than supporting a previous suggestion made by Miqati.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat called for the consolidation of ties among the political parties that make-up the cabinet rather than engaging in disputes.

In remarks to As Safir daily published on Friday, Jumblat said: “This government should work, and in order for it to function, it should limit” the upheaval.

The Economic Committees condemned on Thursday the government’s approval of Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ proposals over the wage hike in Lebanon, deeming it “a major blow to the economy.”

The head of the authorities Adnan Kassar said: “We hope the Shura Council will reject the decision.”