Beirut – “Lebanon Debate”
In light of the continuous rise in prices and the decline in purchasing power, the wage file has returned to the forefront of the economic and living scene, amid escalating workers’ demands for the necessity of correcting salaries in proportion to the burdens of life, and anticipation of the government’s expected steps in this file.
In this context, the Board of Directors of the General Labor Union held an emergency meeting, after which the head of the union, Beshara Al-Asmar, announced that he had given the government until next Saturday to respond to the workers’ demands. Al-Asmar explained, in a statement to Lebanon Debate, that the most prominent of these demands include raising the minimum wage and ensuring its supplements, as well as amending transportation allowances, school scholarships, and family benefits, in addition to finding radical solutions to the rise in prices.
Al-Asmar stressed that the Union is waiting for the results of the ongoing negotiations before making any final decision regarding field movements. In response to a question about the possibility of resorting to a strike, he said: “Yes, if the government does not respond to us,” indicating that the form of the strike and determining its duration will be discussed in light of what the government will provide within the specified deadline.
The head of the General Labor Union pointed out that the decision will not be taken alone, but rather ongoing coordination and consultation is taking place with the public sector associations, the transportation sector, and professors in the public and private sectors, with the aim of unifying efforts and ensuring that any potential strike is comprehensive and effective.
Al-Asmar concluded by stressing that Saturday will constitute an essential station to evaluate the results of the negotiations and determine the direction of the next moves, considering the deadline granted to the government as a last opportunity for dialogue before moving to escalatory options in the event of the absence of an official response to the living demands.
