BEIRUT: Head of the General Labor
Confederation Ghassan Ghosn announced Friday the end of the Electricite Du
Liban contract workers’ three-month strike.
“Following the relevant authorities’ decision
to pay the salaries of contract workers starting Monday, August 6, and the
approval of the follow-up committee of EDL contract workers, we announce our
commitment to implement the agreement and end the strike completely,” Ghosn
told reporters at GLC headquarters.
Ghosn joined negotiations last week aimed at
ending the strike that disrupted work at EDL for several weeks and contributed
to severe power rationing.
The agreement to which Ghosn was referring was
reached Thursday between the Free Patriotic Movement and Speaker Nabih Berri
following weeks of discord between the two sides.
The contracts of most of the workers ended in
June, and Energy Minister Gebran Bassil has since insisted they should be hired
by the private service providers retained for certain tasks by the state-run
EDL. But the workers maintained that they were entitled to full-time jobs at
EDL after years of working there and to pensions when they retire.
During the news conference, Ghosn said the
agreement stipulated that contract workers will receive salaries for the past
three months from the private service providers. They will also be eligible to
take EDL examination for full-time employment.
The agreement also stipulates, according to
Ghosn, that retirement payments will be available for those wishing and
eligible to end their employment contract.
Following the news conference, Ghosn and
members of the contract workers' committee headed to EDL headquarters in Mar
Mikhael and removed the metal chains around the state-run company's gates.
The contract workers also announced they would
evacuate the building.
Repeated protests by
contract workers over the past three months have included the burning of tires,
the prevention of EDL staff from entering the Mar Mikhael premises and the
chaining shut of the company's entrance.http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Aug-03/183280-ghosn-announces-end-of-edl-contract-workers-strike.ashx#axzz22OD0d0aY
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