In a statement, the National Federation of Workers and Employees Unions in Lebanon (FENASOL) voiced its concern about “the catastrophic repercussions of the current situation on the working class, which is bearing the heaviest burden of the compounded crisis Lebanon is enduring as a result of the ongoing Zionist aggression and the vast destruction it has caused, along with the displacement of more than 1,500,000 people—including workers, employees, and their families—and the worsening economic and social deterioration that preceded the aggression.”
He pointed out that “this aggression, accompanied by the destruction of residential areas, infrastructure, and means of production, has doubled the suffering of the Lebanese people—workers, men and women alike—and forced hundreds of thousands of families into displacement and the loss of their livelihoods. These developments have coincided with an already suffocating economic crisis that had long been battering the country, where poverty rates have exceeded 80% of the population and unemployment has risen to unprecedented levels, depriving hundreds of thousands of workers of their most basic rights, including the right to decent work, social protection, healthcare, fair wages, housing, and education.”
The federation affirmed that “what we are witnessing today is not limited to the consequences of the aggression alone; it goes beyond that to a dangerous phase of the organized exploitation of crises, where destruction, displacement, and economic collapse are being used to impose an unjust reality based on monopoly, price manipulation, and profit-making at the expense of people’s suffering.”
He noted that “the insane rise in the prices of consumer goods, fuel, medicine, bread, and rent—which in some cases has increased several times beyond workers’ purchasing power—constitutes a social and moral crime against the popular classes, and reflects the rampant dominance of monopolistic networks and the money sharks in the absence of any effective state oversight.” He condemned “all forms of monopoly, hoarding, and speculation,” calling for “immediate accountability for all those involved in these policies that undermine social and food security in the country.”
He stressed that “the authorities’ failure to fulfill their duties—particularly in regulating markets, controlling prices, and ensuring social protection—
It is accompanied by a serious dysfunction in the mechanisms for distributing financial and in-kind assistance. Dozens of complaints and reports received by the union have revealed that the distribution of aid is being controlled and carried out based on favoritism and clientelism by certain parties and associations. This deprives the groups most severely affected of their legitimate right to support, at a time when the number of people in need continues to rise daily.
The union stated that it had carried out “a series of reviews and communications with the relevant official authorities,” calling for:
“The establishment of a transparent and fair mechanism for distributing aid, free from any political or clientelist interference
Enhanced market oversight and the prosecution of monopolists and speculators
Immediate action to regulate fuel and basic commodity prices
The launch of a social emergency plan to protect workers and the most vulnerable groups.”
It noted that “these reviews have so far elicited no serious response, reflecting the persistent pattern of neglect and failure to confront the gravest crises facing Lebanon.”
The union stated that “if this situation continues and no immediate action is taken, it will proceed with escalatory measures, including mobilization in front of the Council of Ministers after the Eid holiday, to defend workers’ rights and to reject policies of exploitation, monopoly, and neglect.”
He emphasized that “people’s dignity is non-negotiable, and that persisting on this course will inevitably lead to a social explosion, for which all those who participate in or fail to safeguard the people will bear responsibility.”
He praised “the sweeping wave of international trade union solidarity shown by numerous labor federations and organizations around the world, affirming their support for the workers and people of Lebanon in these difficult times—whether through official statements, solidarity campaigns, or fundraising initiatives,” emphasizing that “this solidarity represents a cornerstone in reinforcing the resilience of the labor movement and reaffirms that the struggle for social justice and human dignity knows no borders.”