Labor Minister seeks cooperation with the trade union to combat Syrian labour

The Minister of Labor, Sajaan Azzi, said that he hoped that the solidarity shown recently between the economic circles and the general trade union will generate serious action to protect the Lebanese workforce from foreign competition, particularly, from displaced Syrians working in the country. Azzi was speaking during a ceremony organized by the Federation of Lebanese Chambers in honor of the National Federation of Trade Unions, Ghassan Ghosn, on his election as general director of the International Federation of Arab Trade Unions. Azzi claimed that Syrian presence in the country has all the characteristics of economic migration rather than of displacement because of security reasons. The minister went on to say that, as a result of this, the present problem is no longer confined to competition between the Lebanese and Syrian working forces but transcend this matter to posing a threat to Lebanese businesses. This, he maintained, is clearly demonstrated in the random establishments founded by Syrian nationals at a time domestic-owned businesses are shutting down because of the declining economic situation. He closed his statement with a show of appreciation to the Prime Minister, Tamam Salam’s rational and firm handling of the situation, and an appeal to the international community to find a genuine solution to the refugee crisis in the country. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, July 14, 2016)