Within the framework of the European Union-funded programme “Technical Assistance for the Promotion of Social Dialogue”, a meeting to launch the second training module for tripartite social partners titled “The Legal & Institutional Framework of Social Dialogue & Introduction of Typical Social Dialogue Subjects” was held at the Lebanese Economic and Social Council (LESC).
The meeting was attended by Mr George Ida, the Director General of the Ministry of Labour; Dr. Khalil Cherri, the Secretary General of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists; Judge Abdullah Ahmed, the Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs; Mr. Bechara Al Asmar, the Chairman of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers; Mr. Said Gedeon, the Vice President of Zahle and Bekaa Chamber for Commerce, Industry and Agriculture; Mr. Farouk Yaghi, the Director General of the Lebanese Economic and Social Council; Mr. Samir Neimeh, the Head of the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Economic and Social Council; Mr. Mahmoud Ayoub, the Chairman of the Association of Basic Education; Mr. Nidal Doumit, the Chairman of the Association of Secondary Vocational and Technical Education Teachers; Mr. Hassan Wehbeh, the President of the Association of Public Administration Officers; Mr. Nazih al-Jebawi, the President of the Association of Secondary Education Teachers; Mr. Rodolph Abboud, the Head of the Syndicate of the Private Schools Teachers Captain; Mr. Charbel Saleh, the President of the Federation of Unions of Independent Services and Public Institutions; Mr. Adnan Al-Bourji, the President of the Union of Lebanese Writers and the Association of Basic Education and the experts Mr. Roger Melki and Dr. Ghassan Slaibi.
Mr. George Ida welcomed the participants and said “The Ministry of Labour pays great attention to the success of this training program and is always striving to consolidate and develop a culture of social dialogue between the tripartite parties in Lebanon”, and he added “Economic problems concern all parties in the production process including employers, workers and administrations. This dialogue must be the only way to identify socio-economic policies that are consistent with current needs and the available potentials with a view to promoting economic growth.”
He concluded “The program is implemented under a clear political will to revive the work of the Economic and Social Council, so it is useful and necessary that the participants in these workshops be among the candidates for future work in this Council.”
The second training program within the project “Promotion of social dialogue in Lebanon”, implemented by the Ministry of Labour in partnership with the European Union, aims at developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills of the representatives of the parties to the dialogue in order to enhance commitment and revive social dialogue in Lebanon and establish social justice, taking into account socio-economic conditions in Lebanon.
Dr. Ghassan Slaibi presented the objectives of the training program, its topics, methodology and its participants to be selected from among the candidates for membership of the Economic and Social Council from the following organizations: General Confederation of Lebanese Workers, Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Trade. The program will also include representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the National Employment Office, and the Lebanese Economic and Social Council.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion in which participants emphasized the importance of the training program especially at this stage and their readiness to participate in it.
About “Technical Assistance for the Promotion of Social Dialogue in Lebanon”
The EU-funded “Technical Assistance for the Promotion of Social Dialogue in Lebanon” project, which started in July 2015, provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Labour and aims at enhancing the capacity of the Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese social partners, including civil society, to be promoters of a genuine social dialogue. It is expected that actively practiced, cooperation and tripartite dialogue between the government, employer’s organizations and workers/civil society organizations will positively impact on the Lebanese society, strengthen social protection, and improve and enforce labour legislation.
This project is part of the EU-funded program “Promotion of Social Justice.”
The European Union supports social dialogue in Lebanon and believes it will create a mutual trust among the tripartite social partners and civil society to actively engage, inform and advocate for socio-economic change.
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