Charbel Nah7as criticizes labor ministry and CGTL for neglecting workers’ rights

Former labor minister, Charbel Nah7as, criticized in a television interview the present labor ministry and the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL) for overlooking the rights of workers. Nahas said the labor ministry should seek to raise the minimum wage and secure the freedom and independence of syndicates, and expressed shock over the trade union’s obstructive role in this direction. On the subject of arbitrary termination from work, Nahas explained that according to the effective labor law, if “lay-off was due to economic reasons, the employer should communicate with the labor ministry in order to validate that.” He revealed that some institutions tend to take advantage of the unfavorable conditions of displaced Syrians and hire them in the place of Lebanese employees at very low wages, and appealed to the labor ministry to take action. In the same vein, a delegation from the National Union of Workers and Employees Syndicates in Lebanon led by Castro Abdallah, has met with labor minister Sajaan Azzi and discussed with him workers’ concerns, such as, corruption, arbitrary termination, theft of the wages of daily laborers and racism at the workplace. The meeting also brought up the right of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon to set up their own syndicate. In a statement following the meeting, the Union called for a broad participation in the planned sit-in next Tuesday, 5:00 pm, September 23, at Riad el Solh Square to demand restoration of constitutional life and addressing the deteriorating living conditions in the country. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, September 25, 2016)