Head of Lebanon's bank employees' union George al-Hajj stressed on Wednesday that if the bare minimum of security is not provided, the employees will not return to work, revealing that a meeting to discuss their strike will be place today.
Al-Hajj’s comments were made during an interview with Nharkom Said TV show on LBCI, whereby he said that if security measures were not put in place, the strike should continue, adding that “it is the responsibility of the Lebanese state to protect the citizens, and we are among them.”
He then pointed out that certain measures must be taken, noting that what is required at the present time is an exceptional way to work without exposing the employee to danger.
He also stressed that bank employees are not affiliated with the owners of banks or the Association of Banks, underlining that the employees served the banking sector and did not neglect their responsibilities.
“We are not responsible for the collapse that occurred in the banking sector,” al-Hajj indicated, noting that the continuation of the crisis will lead to a disaster in the sector.
Al-Hajj went on to explain that the more severe the economic crisis becomes, the more dangerous phenomena we witness in the country, mentioning that there is no serious discussion about rebuilding the banking sector.
As for the negotiations with the IMF, he stated that they should take into consideration the circumstances of Lebanon and the Lebanese.