Lebanon public transport workers hold strike

Lebanon’s public transportation sector staged Thursday a nationwide strike in protest of what they describe as the government’s failure to meet its promises. Most parts of the country saw traffic disrupted by the strike action, which was adhered to in many regions by public transport workers. Traffic was disrupted in the northern city of Tripoli and the southern coastal city of Sidon as a result of the strike action with many taxi and bus drivers refusing to transport students and citizens to schools and businesses. The National News Agency also reported that the strike was in effect in Zghorta and Akkar in the north, Tyre in south Lebanon and Iqlim al-Kharroub, Western Bekaa. In the south, around 100 public transport drivers blocked side roads around Sidon. Earlier in the day, college students stood at Nejmeh Square waiting to get on board taxis or buses to get to their destinations but to no avail. About 90 percent of buses in the southern city barred passengers into their vehicles. In the north, Tripoli residents also felt the impact of the strike action. Entrances and exits to the coastal city were completely closed as drivers vowed to remain on strike until 5 p.m. Around 6 a.m., bus drivers parked their vehicles on the Beirut-Tripoli highway forcing authorities to divert traffic to side roads leading to Beirut. Schools were also forced to close their doors as many students were unable to attend classes. A member of the union, Mamdouh Abdo, called on officials to meet the unions' demands as many drivers "are not able to look after their families." "What is happening is not logical. They drain us with promises but with no tangible results," Abdo told The Daily Star. Drivers are expected to march to the Grand Serail in the Capital from the Cola roundabout at 11 a.m. The sector postponed their planned strike last week after positive talks with Prime Minister Najib Mikati led to a tentative agreement. The sector’s demand was for the government to place ceilings on the price of gasoline and increase family compensation allowances. Despite a slight decline in gasoline prices Wednesday, the 98-octance graded fuel is now sold at LL39,800 while the 95-octane graded fuel is LL39,100. The price of diesel, which fuels most buses, also saw a decline and now costs LL28,600. Mikati has attributed the rise in fuel prices to the overall increase in international oil prices and says that the treasury is incapable of bearing the burden of price amendments. Not all regions adhered to Thursday’s strike action. Mohammad al-Fouani, the head of the Union of Public Transport Drivers in the Baalbek-Hermel region, said most drivers refrained from taking part in the strike, citing a dispute over the priorities of the demands by other public transportation unions in the country. “[We also refrained from participation] in order to allow for more talks with the government and because the union rejects the idea of compensating the drivers and sees this as unhelpful,” Fouani said. Fouani said three things needed be done in order to remedy the situation: a cap on the price of fuel, a crackdown on drivers with fake transportation license plates and that the value of the compensation from the National Social Security Fund be increased. Meanwhile, the General Labor Confederation has also scheduled a strike for May 3 to protest the high fuel prices.