Contracted Media Workers Threaten Strike Over Unmet Rights

The contracted employees of the Ministry of Information held a general assembly and issued the following statement: "The media law draft, which is scheduled for referral to joint committees tomorrow, includes a highly dangerous step involving the abolition of the Ministry of Information’s directorates. It should be noted that the proposed law to subject contracted employees to the retirement statute, which would safeguard their rights, has not yet been approved by the Parliament’s general assembly."

They appealed to Speaker Nabih Berri, who was the first to advocate for workers’ rights, urging him to prioritize the approval of the law subjecting contracted employees to the retirement statute and to pass it as the first item in the upcoming legislative session. They expressed deep concern that the media law might be approved, resulting in the dissolution of the ministry’s directorates before the contracted employees secure the retirement benefits they have long fought for.

The contracted workers at the Ministry of Information have consistently maintained a positive attitude and patient endurance in pursuit of their basic rights and continue to do so. However, they warn that they will be compelled to initiate an open-ended strike across all directorates, including the National News Agency, Radio Lebanon, Lebanese Studies and Publications, and all ministry departments and sections, if they do not receive what they consider their rightful entitlements after decades of dedicated service.