The Union of Hotel, Restaurant, Food and Entertainment Employees in Lebanon, chaired by Joseph Haddad, sent a letter to Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
MTV channel reported the text of the letter, in which employees requested President Aoun to raise the issue of Lebanese workers in this vital sector during the meetings of the Supreme Defense Council and to allow them to work exclusively without any foreign labor in "bakeries, supermarkets, restaurants, and confectionery shops, and to include take away services in addition to delivery for establishments," in order to sustain the sector without any health risks. The letter included an explanation of the difficult situation facing the union's employees, stating, "We live in a lamentable state; we in the private sector are paid for our working days, and on closure days, deductions are made from our limited salaries. The coronavirus crisis will last at least another year, especially in our sector. We have not benefited from any support, neither the 400,000 LBP for families nor any exemptions or facilities for establishments or workers."
The union concluded its letter by requesting the president to open the door for work exclusively in the economy sector, which is "on the verge of collapse," to enable continued operation and to assist, even slightly, in its recovery, noting the union's understanding of the president and government's concern for the health of the Lebanese. The Lebanese ministerial committee specialized in combating the coronavirus announced a general lockdown in the country until the end of this month.
