Lebanese go on strike over worsening economic hardships

Lebanon's public services shut down Wednesday as the General Labour Union (GLU) went on strike over the worsening socio-economic conditions in the country - a result of Lebanon's economic crisis.

Adopting the slogan "Salvation Government", the union - which represents several labour associations - demanded a new cabinet be formed to save the country from collapse after an economic crisis left hundreds of thousands without jobs and in poverty.

Speaking to The New Arab’s sister site, GLU head Bechara Asmar said workers will escalate their protests if the political stalemate continues.

Lebanon currently has a caretaker government after it resigned in August as a result of a massive explosion at Beirut Port.

"The coming days will be much worse, as the crises… are linked to various sectors, especially in terms of the fuel and electricity crisis, and we have seen how work in Beirut Port is threatened by power cuts,” Asmar said.

Asmar warned that these issues will affect everyday lives for citizens and impact on the economy if no solutions are found.

The labour confederation has faced criticism from some of Lebanon's activists for not participating fully in mass demonstrations that erupted in October 2019.

Lebanon's currency has continued to fall since 2019 when the Central Bank’s dollar reserves quickly dried up.

The government has used foreign currency reserves to subsidise essentials such as fuel, flour and medications.

The Lebanese pound was pegged to the dollar at a stable rate since the 1990s.

The economic crisis was made worse with Covid-19 lockdowns and the 2020 port blast.