PSI affiliated members in Lebanon express their support for the fair social and economic demands of the people. The spontaneous mass demonstrations which are currently paralysing the country are Lebanon’s largest in five years, spreading beyond the capital Beirut.

We understand that the so called WhatsApp Calls tax – already dropped by the government – was the spark that lit the flame of the unrest.

For a long time, people’s anger has been building up and cumulating against a ruling class that has divided up power among its own members, and amassed wealth for decades. And that at the same time, little has been done to fix the economic crisis and the country’s dilapidated infrastructure.

The tax was part of a broader package of “austerity measures” which led to the reduction of pension and retirement allocations, to the collapse of public services (water, health, energy, education, roads) and to the freezing of housing and student loans, among others.

Public service workers are actively participating in the protests with 1.5 million people who have taken to the streets for the last 14 days (in a country with a population of 5 million).

Read the PSI statement

On behalf of Public Services International’s 30 million members, following the popular movement launched on October 17, 2019 in Lebanon, we would like to express our solidarity and support of the Lebanese people, and to join them in their protest against the government’s arbitrary policies, in both the economic and social spheres, which most affect the poorest members of society and public service workers.

Prior to raising these demands, PSI affiliates in Lebanon held meetings through the General Labor Union (CGTL) and the Trade Union Coordination committee, and formed a committee to network with all trade union organisations and civil society organisations and ensure a unified stand against inflation, currency exchange rate manipulation, price increases, tax burden, tax evasion, continued deterioration of services, high unemployment and widespread corruption. All accompanied by poor working conditions and poor quality of life, which have led to instability, panic, anger and migration…

Instead of addressing these issues, the Lebanese government is obeying the dictates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and donors that are calling for “structural reforms” which include the reduction of public sector wages, austerity measures at the expense of the poor and low-income families, accompanied by widespread corruption and mismanagement of the crises threatening the country with bankruptcy.

Public Services international affirms its unconditional support for the rightful demands of the protesters and affirms its principles that consist of:

• defending the rights of workers in general, especially those in public services,

• combatting all types of precarious work and fighting poverty

• calling for a fair taxation system

• preserving public services in public hands and ensuring their accessibility to all citizens with good quality and at a reasonable cost.

• defending the sovereignty of the national decision and freeing it from the binds of foreign financial institutions.

Rosa Pavanelli

PSI General Secretary

and also the press release issued by PSI affiliate Social Workers' Syndicate

Social Workers’ Syndicate in Lebanon
24th October 2019
#Together_we_can_Change

We, the Social Workers' Syndicate, are part of these people who have been struggling for decades with suffering, accumulated debts, deprivation of health, sickness and social coverage, not to mention unfair taxes and the injustice of extreme poverty, demanding the most basic rights such as the right to medicine, education, housing, dignified meal and work.

The cry of the people today increases our strength and determination to reject poverty, humiliation and exploitation. Based on our “professional oath” as Social Workers in Lebanon, we strive for equality, social justice, transparency and accountability. We also strive to preserve the richness of social diversity. We contribute to raising social responsibility.

In this press release, we remind ourselves of our professional oath:

• We maintain the principles and ethics of the social work profession;

• We maintain professional confidentiality;

• We promise to protect our profession;

• We respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Conventions, human and social values, cultural beliefs and various societal components;

• We respect human dignity and public good;

• We seek social justice and equality;

• We combat poverty, deprivation and discrimination.

We affirm our rejection of the subsequent socio-economic injustice of citizens and support every demand movement that advocates for social issues and calls for the adjustment of socio-economic and tax policies that have exhausted the citizens without meeting their essential needs.

We raise our voices today because we are from the people and we share the same suffering, possess a scientific and practical competence that enables us to be reformers involved in the development of economic, social and legal policies aimed at rebuilding our country; the country of dignity, freedom and social justice.

Long live Lebanon, the country of freedom and intellectual people