Bakeries, Transport Sector to Strike after Record High Fuel Prices

The union of bakeries has announced a strike for April 20, a day after a planned transportation strike over record high gasoline prices.

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas’ “promises have vanished with regard to compensating the sector and resolving its problems,” the union said in a statement.

The head of the union, Kazem Ibrahim, told An Nahar daily published Thursday that Nahhas hasn’t expressed readiness to meet the demands of bakeries following a rise in fuel prices and the increase in salaries and the transportation and education allowances.

He said bakeries used to pay LL150,000 for a ton of diesel in the past, but is now paying around LL1,500,000 after the price of 20 liters reached around LL30,000.

“The sector is suffering huge losses,” Ibrahim lamented.

Public transportation unions have also announced that they would strike on April 19 to urge the government to cap soaring fuel prices.

The price of 98-octane graded fuel reached LL39,700 and 95-octane graded fuel LL39,000 on Wednesday, according to an update issued by the energy ministry.

While the cost of diesel was not updated, it was LL29,200 last week.

Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi blamed the rise in oil prices to the increase in the prices globally.

A meeting will be held soon by Premier Najib Miqati and the ministers of finance, labor, energy, public works and transportation to deal with the issue, he said.