Sources informed "Nidaa Al-Watan" that mediation and negotiations are taking place away from the limelight between the employees' union of "Ogero" and the concerned parties in the Lebanese government, specifically with the Ministries of Telecommunications and Finance, to reach an agreement that would prevent any disruption of communications and internet services. This comes before the authority initiates a warning strike today and tomorrow, following a one-day warning strike last week. Employees of "Ogero" decided to escalate their protest actions after they did not receive their rights as approved in the 2024 budget, namely the restoration of their salaries in light of the living and economic crisis and inflation, similar to workers in the telecommunications sector. If their demands are not met, they plan to go on an open-ended strike after April 15, according to the union's executive council, which approved a rolling protest plan on a weekly basis.
An experienced union member told "Nidaa Al-Watan" that the telecommunications sector and "Ogero" are among the most revenue-generating public institutions, and they have not ceased their operations, neither during crises nor during the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, employees are risking their lives amid the military escalation in the south and Israel's targeting of telecom centers, as they go to dangerous areas to carry out maintenance, repair damage, and ensure fuel supply. Therefore, the demand for salary increases by "Ogero" employees is justified and should be a priority for the government and the concerned ministries, especially since what has been approved for them is only one-third of what they requested to live with dignity. It is essential to find solutions that improve their conditions and address the deterioration of living situations, especially since they have not yet received these adjustments or even compensations, such as transportation allowances, school fees, and others.
The veteran union member does not hide his rejection of any settlement that does not fulfill employees' demands, stating, "We have been fed many promises, none of which have been realized," referring to previous strikes carried out by the authority, followed by a return to work, hoping for achievement which then evaporated under flimsy excuses. He emphasized that "we will not accept being victims of any conflict" and charged the Ministries of Finance and Telecommunications with the primary responsibility for responding to their demands.
Employees of "Ogero," through the union's executive council, responded to Minister of Telecommunications George Karam, who confirmed an investigation to ensure there are no intentions among agency employees to disrupt the public sector. They affirmed in a statement that communication services have never been interrupted, whether fixed or mobile, locally or internationally, nor have the internet, data, and other services provided daily by "Ogero" employees during crises. They urged the Minister of Telecommunications to form a committee of experts urgently to prepare a detailed report on the condition of the electrical generators that supply the telecom centers, as the failure of one of them in Fatqa led to outages last Wednesday, which are now in a dire state and are at risk of ceasing operations at any time.
