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EDL employees to being open-ended strike starting Thursday


EDL employees to being open-ended strike starting Thursday

EDL's headquarters in Beirut. (Credit: João Sousa)

The Union of Employees of Electricité du Liban (EDL) announced on Wednesday an open-ended strike starting Thursday, as well as a sit-in Thursday in all branches of the institution, until wage increases are secured, the union said in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency.

According to the statement, all maintenance operations will be stopped, except those needed "to prevent a danger to public safety."

The employees are demanding both that their salaries be increased and that they be paid in cash. "There will be no return on this position, it is our right to receive our full salaries from the banks," the union added.

The union said that a meeting was held on Wednesday between employees around the issue of wages.

In a Lebanon in full economic collapse, public infrastructure has deteriorated considerably, and EDL barely manages to provide a couple of hours of electricity per day.

This is not the first time that employees have mobilized since the institution was hit hard by the economic crisis.

In addition, an open-ended strike is currently being observed in the telecoms sector, by employees of the two Lebanese mobile network operators Alfa and Touch.

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm told L'Orient-Le Jour that he fears that "this strike is politicized" and that he opposes the employees' demands.

The Union of Employees of Electricité du Liban (EDL) announced on Wednesday an open-ended strike starting Thursday, as well as a sit-in Thursday in all branches of the institution, until wage increases are secured, the union said in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency.According to the statement, all maintenance operations will be stopped, except those needed "to prevent a...