Daily Star.com.lb BEIRUT: The Labor Ministry Thursday vowed to protect the Lebanese workforce, warning that it would take legal action against the recent dismissal of Lebanese employees working for international companies in the country. In a statement, the ministry said it had recently received requests from international organizations wishing to fire hundreds of Lebanese nationals. These organizations included Relief International, service company OSSC, Awtar restaurant, Save the Children and the Danish Refugee Council. “Last week, the ministry received requests from Save the Children and the Danish Refugee Council in Lebanon to let go of a large portion of their Lebanese workers without giving any reasons,” the statement said. It added that Save the Children had already dismissed 280 Lebanese from a total of 585 workers and the Danish Refugee Council had fired 386 Lebanese from its 728 workers. The ministry said that hotels were also letting go of their Lebanese workforce. The Labor Ministry condemned what it said was a “deliberate replacement of Lebanese workers” with foreigners, particularly Syrian nationals, warning the organizations of taking necessary legal measures to protect the Lebanese labor force.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on June 17, 2016, on page 3.