Bassil Says State Emerged Victorious after End of EDL Contract Workers' Strike

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil hailed on Friday Electricity du Liban's board of directors for its decision to preserve the state’s authority during the three-month strike held by the contract workers.

“Although the board of directors had to relocate to Zouk power plant, it maintained through it's decisions the state’s authority,” Bassil told reporters.

He pointed out that there’s no winner or loser after resolving the crisis as the “state emerged victorious once the EDL workers announced the end of their strike.”

Bassil praised the stances taken by President Michel Suleiman concerning the matter.

“We thank the President for defending the state’s institutions and the law prevents strikes inside the public facilities,” Bassil said, referring to article 15 of the Labor law that prevents public employees from striking and intentionally halting the performance of their public services.

“There’s no such thing as occupying a public facility,” the minister added.

The contract workers ended on Friday their open-ended strike at the company’s headquarters in Mar Mikhael in Beirut after striking a deal with the government.

“The agreement is political,” Bassil said.

He called on the contract workers to abide by the agreement, noting that there are around 450 employee who signed contracts with the private-service providers.

Bassil called on EDL employees to resume their work at the company with “pride.”

“The challenges ahead are immense,” the minister said.

The agreement between the contract workers and the government includes the company’s payment of the contract workers salaries till the month of July, the full time employment of some contract workers by sitting for a closed exam as called for by a draft law approved by the parliament, according to the vacancies at EDL, giving those who don’t qualify to become permanent employees the financial compensations in exchange for their 10 or 20 years of service at the company and transferring the rest to private-service providers, forming a committee from AMAL movement, Hizbullah and al-Marada movement to modify the draft law which was approved by the parliament.