GLC Goes Ahead with Strike amid Boycott by Several Unions

A strike called for by the General Labor Confederation on Thursday went ahead as scheduled with several unions joining the protests including the public transportation drivers, the Middle East Airlines employees, the port, and the National Social Security Fund.

“The protesters will not block the roads. We are against the cabinet’s policy that didn’t tackle during its last two sessions the demands of laborers,” head of GLC Ghassan Ghosn told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

He stressed that dialogue with the government is open.

Ghosn warned from escalating the situation if the cabinet failed to find a solution for the soaring fuel prices that are affecting the cost of consumer goods.

However, several other unions decided not to join the strike.

Head of Secondary Teachers Associations Hanna Gharib told As Safir newspaper that “the association didn’t call for a strike and it’s not concerned with it.”

For his part, head of the Teachers Syndicate Nehme Mahfoud slammed exploiting the citizens in disputes between political powers.

“The teachers syndicate isn’t linked to the GLC,” Mahfoud told As Safir.

Simultaneously, the Catholic Schools announced that it will not suspend classes.

Ghosn said in comments published in al-Liwaa newspaper that the strike will be “cautionary” and will be followed by other strikes if the cabinet didn’t eliminate the taxes on fuel and cap rising fuel prices.

The public transport unions postponed their strike until May 24, but announced that they back the strike called for by the GLC.