EDL Contract Workers Stage Sit-in amid Self-Immolation

Electricite du Liban contract workers held a sit-in and blocked the highway near the company's headquarters in Beirut on Monday to protest an urgent draft-law on their employment put on the agenda of a parliamentary session.

One contract worker identified as Hussein Allam set himself on fire but was rushed to Geitawi hospital. Two others suffered burns in their hands when they set garbage bins on fire.

Bilal Bajouq, a member of the contract workers' follow-up committee, told LBCI TV that the workers were protesting the urgent draft-law proposed by Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan, which he said contradicted the agreement they had reached with the government of Prime Minister Najib Miqati when they lifted their 95-day sit-in last year.

“This draft-law takes us back to the starting point,” he said. “We were surprised when a few days ago it was put on the agenda.”

“All we want is to send a message to all the MPs …. that our opinions should be taken into consideration,” Bajouq said.

“We hope that the previous draft-law would be adopted,” he added.

Another member of the committee, Lebnan Makhoul, also told LBCI that the sit-in was a “warning” message.

The controversial full-time employment of the contract workers sparked a dispute last year, when they went on strike to press their demands.

But a settlement that included a six-point agreement ended their sit-in in August, 2012.

The protesters said they were duped by Amal MP Ali Bazzi and Hizbullah lawmaker Ali Ammar, who they said collaborated with Kanaan in contradicting the agreement.

Makhoul called for drafting a new law through the participation of a contract workers committee.