Protesting EDL Contract Workers Block Highway

Electrictie du Liban contract workers staged protests on Wednesday and blocked the vital highway of Charles Helou protesting the officials failure to meet their longstanding demand for their full-time employment.

The protest kicked off at 10:00 am amid intense security measures.

The campaigners blocked the highway near the EDL headquarters and vowed not to reopen it until their demands are considered.

In Nabatieh, EDL workers closed the company's headquarters and prevented the entry of employees.

“We are here to stay. We will not open the road until our demands are met,” said one of the campaigners.

“Four years have passed. Some of the workers have been fully-employed while the majority are still waiting,” he added.

The protesters reopened the road at around 12:00 noon.

A delegation of the workers headed to the headquarters of the Civil Service Board and met with the president of the council Fatima Owaidat Sayegh.

After the meeting, the workers said: “The Board was sympathetic with our cause and decided to postpone entrance exams that were set for Saturday until things calm down.”

The workers have been asking EDL for full-time employment with benefits.

In 2012 they agreed with the government to sit for entrance exams which would bring them to their request on condition they pass.

However, around 140 workers have passed and more than 1,500 others are still waiting for their employment, according to reports.

The contracts of the workers with the private service providers are set to expire on August 28.