Lebanon Strike Shuts 50% of Businesses
About half of Lebanon’s businesses closed Friday in the first day of a nationwide strike called by a union federation demanding a 300% wage increase.
The government of this chaos-ridden nation, which faces a severe economic crisis, has offered an increase of about 75%.
Police said 50% of both Muslim and Christian areas were closed in response to the strike call issued Thursday by the General Confederation of Labor Unions.
Some banks, schools, restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations and other businesses closed in Beirut’s Muslim and Christian sectors as well as in other major cities and towns, a police statement said.
However, a variety of businesses defied the 300,000-member union and maintained normal activity.
The Lebanese pound slipped against foreign currencies following Hoss’ 75% pay increase announcement Thursday and closed at 400 to the U.S. dollar.
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