Joint Meeting of Labor Unions in the North: Protest Scheduled Tomorrow Over Deteriorating Living Conditions

A joint union meeting was held at the port of Tripoli, chaired by Ahmad Faisal Al-Bakar of the Employers' Union, and the Union of Workers and Employees in Northern Lebanon, chaired by Shadi Al-Sayid, with participation from Captain Ghassan Yakan, head of the Workers' Sector in Tariq al-Azm, Hussein Minqara, head of the Parents' Committees in the North, and a large number of union representatives. The meeting reviewed current union issues and demands from the General Federation of Labor, the Road Transport Federations, and ongoing movements across both the public and private sectors, especially the movement led by the Association of General Administration Employees and retirees from security and military agencies.

Al-Sayid

Initially, Al-Sayid spoke, noting that "this meeting takes place within the context of continuous coordination among the most active union bodies in contact with all segments of society, and that the situation in Tripoli and nationally has reached a point where action is imperative." He urged officials to "take into account the state of the Lebanese society across various dimensions, particularly those with low incomes whose purchasing power has become negligible or nearly nonexistent."

He also congratulated Al-Halab on his election as president of the confectionery and sweets manufacturers’ union in Northern Lebanon, highlighting "the importance of this sector in the city of Tripoli and the North, and the contributions it makes across multiple levels."

Al-Bakar

Meanwhile, Al-Bakar stated: "We are closely monitoring developments on the ground. As the group most connected to all segments of Lebanese society, we have observed for months that citizens are suffering under difficult economic conditions, which negatively impact commercial activity in the city of Tripoli. As employers, we record this with deep concern, looking forward to swift and effective measures for the benefit of the Lebanese society before further collapse occurs."

Statement

At the end, the following statement was issued by the participants: "We, the participants in this union meeting in Tripoli, emphasize the urgency of preventing the deteriorating conditions affecting the entire Lebanese society, which threaten catastrophe and foreseeable real-world consequences we do not wish to see materialize. Therefore, we urge decision-makers to re-evaluate all policies and decisions, reassess their approach to taxes, fees, and the neglect of the country’s worsening living and economic crisis—particularly the recent arbitrary price hikes, lack of oversight, and declining purchasing power across all segments of Lebanese society. Furthermore, the participants discussed the call from the Union of Workers and Employees in Northern Lebanon to mobilize tomorrow through a sit-in at Jamal Abdel Nasser Square in al-Tell, inviting all unions, associations, worker and employee bodies in both the public and private sectors, and employers to participate extensively."

The statement concluded by affirming that "the participants form a single, unified union and advocacy bloc, demanding the preservation of the Lebanese people’s capabilities and dignity, and serious attention to the besieged city of Tripoli, which faces hardship on every level."