Work & social rights

Khaouli argued that a fixed cash transport allowance loses value as fuel prices rise, insisting that compensation reflect workers' actual commuting expenses.

The report examines the minimum wage's erosion through living costs, quoting Khaouli's warning about access to food and essentials and a worsening social crisis.

Khaouli discussed Lebanese industrial employment with Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan, seeking a joint labor policy linking industrial incentives to hiring and compliance with workers’ rights.

Khaouli said Lebanese workers did not participate in the BIEL meeting, criticizing rejected wage demands and continued price increases despite lower oil and raw material costs.

Al-Binaa announced Khaouli’s press conference at the General Labor Confederation headquarters, presenting the gas and exploration workers’ union’s vision and demands for the sector.

Khaouli sought official dismissal statistics and documented violations, urging government action against pay cuts, reinstatement of dismissed workers and longer deadlines for labor complaints.

During coverage of transport protests, Khaouli criticized blocking citizens’ roads and argued that protest methods should respect the public, rights and union and humanitarian principles.

Khaouli said a union rally was postponed because of weather, withdrawing allies and consultations with union bodies, amid reporting on a taxi driver compensation agreement.

Within reporting on Lebanese protests, Khaouli warned of arbitrary layoffs without Labor Ministry protection, highlighting the crisis’s consequences for employees and their ability to keep jobs.

Ici Beyrouth reported used car dealers’ call for a sit-in, quoting Khaouli’s criticism of the new customs dollar and the burden of higher duties.

In the January 2014 issue, pages 48–49, Khaouli discussed wage adjustments and the inactive wage index committee. He supported public sector employees’ rights while urging study of how teachers’ pay increases would affect private school fees. The issue verifies a month and year, not an exact publication day.

Khaouli criticised political control over unions and urged workers to use elections to improve their conditions and revive collective action.

Khaouli warned that employees and daily workers could lose wages during the COVID-19 lockdown and called for its economic and social consequences to be addressed.

Khaouli discussed the General Labour Confederation’s absence from protests and stressed organisation and leadership to turn public demands into effective action.

Khaouli opposed increasing the price of bread while flour subsidies remained, describing the increase as a burden on poor households and calling for action against consumer exploitation.

Khaouli called for social measures alongside the public health lockdown, including relief on utility bills and charges and protection for craftspeople and daily paid workers.

During a discussion of the minimum wage, Khaouli urged the Labour Minister to convene a broad meeting of the wage index committee to address workers’ demands.

Khaouli urged an immediate monthly wage advance and adjustments to transport and school allowances while the wage index committee considered broader salary corrections.

Khaouli described an initiative to provide ten temporary staff to address processing delays at Jounieh’s social security centre, during a discussion of reform and the public sector pay scale.

AlAkhbar reports the union's conference chaired by Khaouli against tax increases, his objections to delegated taxing powers and calls for action protecting workers from crisis costs.

The report explores disagreements over monthly assistance and inflation risks, citing Khaouli's criticism of Wage Index Committee arrangements that he saw as temporary crisis management.

In reporting on heating, Khaouli warned about fuel costs for mountain residents and older people, and wages depleted by commuting where adequate public transport is absent.

Khaouli explained limited mobilisation through weak industrial concentrations and the absence of a unified strike decision, describing meetings to coordinate regional protests.

Within a report collecting responses to Bechara Asmar's remarks about Sfeir, Khaouli condemned the comments and sought his removal, invoking unions' respect for human values.