Overcoming Threats, Domestic Workers in Lebanon Establish Unprecedented Labor Union

posted on: Jan 28, 2015

A historic event in the struggle of male and female workers in Lebanon happened on January 25. The founding conference aimed at establishing a “new” type of union, the domestic workers union, was held. In the past few days, the Ministry of Labor tried to prevent the holding of the conference. It threatened to use the Internal Security Forces to break it up, and called on supporters to back down or face consequences. The ministry announced that it will not grant such a union a license on the grounds that it violates Lebanese laws that deny male and female foreign workers the right to form their own unions, leaving domestic workers without any legal protection.

It was a moving scene. The color red dominated the room, including the slogans and banners that demanded the abolition of the sponsorship system as a main objective. Red also dominated the unified clothing worn by the participants, which reflects the steadfastness of this movement and the commitment of its female members to the cause: resisting the worst forms of exploitation in the labor market.

On Sunday, more than 200 women, from the persecuted of different nationalities, flocked to a wedding hall facing the headquarters of the Federation of Workers and Employees Unions in Lebanon (FENASOL) in the area of Wata Msaytbeh in Beirut.

Source: english.al-akhbar.com