ILO report: Palestinians of Lebanon working in exploitative conditions || Newspapers (Arabic)

The International Labor Organization released yesterday the results of a new survey, which was conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, and funded by the EU, that focused on working conditions of Palestinian labor in Lebanon. The study interviewed 7,212 individuals above 15 years old, belonging to 2,600 households, between September 2011 and March 2012.
The study concluded that while Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are still managing to find jobs, are able to so despite serious obstacles, and largely under exploitative conditions. The survey indicated that Palestinian workers are paid 20 percent less than their Lebanese colleagues for the same job, and are largely employed in construction and commerce although the Lebanese government eased since August 2010 their access to work permits at least for certain jobs. Still only 2 percent of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have acquired a work permit as many occupy professions that do not require work permits or are unaware of the procedures for regularizing their work status.
According to the same study, few Palestinians work with any written or formal contract and thus very few have access to health coverage or enjoy paid holiday and sick leave, and only a very small number receive a pension or end-of-service indemnity. Palestinian workers in Lebanon receive less than the monthly minimum wage LBP 675,000 (US$450), with half of them earning less than LBP 500,000 (US$333) per month. Finally, the study also showed that Palestinian women workers, employed in health and education, remain underpaid, despite being more qualified than their fellow Palestinian men.

Source: The Daily Star 21 November 2012