The General Labor Union in Lebanon called for a general strike across the country in what it called “the beginning of the largest movement the country will witness against the removal of subsidies.”
The announcement was made by the union’s president, Bechara Asmar, during a press conference held on Wednesday.
“Yes, enough is enough, and there is no longer a breathing space for the poor and those with limited income, and therefore silence is no longer permissible…,” he stressed.
Emphasizing that there is not much time left to act, Asmar pointed to the recent increase in the tuition fees of some private universities and other detrimental developments that are negatively impacting the population.
He mentioned that thousands of bank employees across Lebanon are at risk of being discharged, calling for a general strike next Wednesday, December 16th.
“On this occasion, we invite parents of overseas students, depositors, and those who have been discharged from work to perform a sit-in in front of the Association of Bank in Lebanon because it is the first and last one responsible…”
Asmar extended the invitation to all laborers and Lebanese citizens to hold “a general national strike” in all Lebanese areas to “put a real and definitive end to this unrelenting tragedy that is caused by those who sold their conscience to the devil.”
Furthermore, he rejected, in the name of the Labor Union, the lifting of the subsidies, and reiterated the call for the immediate formation of a government capable of proceeding with reforms.
The move will represent a prelude to “the widest wave of strikes, sit-ins, and demonstrations until there comes a final and decisive end to these destructive and murderous policies against the broadest segments of society,” Asmar stressed.
