The Cellular Employees Syndicate issued a stern warning regarding the financial integrity of the National Social Security Fund, stating that “Decree No. 1278 issued on October 24, concerning the extension of deadlines granted to the two cellular companies, strikes at the heart of the Fund and its social objectives.”

The syndicate clarified in a statement that “The National Social Security Fund is one of the most prominent achievements of the Lebanese state in the field of social justice and labor organization, as it constituted a pivotal moment in the development of the social and economic systems in the country.”

The syndicate also pointed out that “The Fund, which was established in 1963 and began operations in 1965, was a pioneering step at the level of the Arab world during the sixties and seventies, as it expanded its umbrella to include a wide range of employees in the private sector, providing them with long-awaited social protection.”

The statement affirmed that the Fund “withstood the war years between 1975 and 1990 despite the geographical division and the decline in collection, and continued to provide its services within the available capabilities, maintaining a minimum level of social security for citizens.”

However, the syndicate expressed its grave concern regarding “administrative decisions issued recently that threaten this national edifice,” and raised questions about “how can a financial liability be cleared for one of the taxpayers at the expense of the Fund, while the employee is deprived of his due compensation despite the deduction of contributions from his salary? And is it conceivable that what wars failed to achieve is being achieved today through administrative decisions that weaken the last bastions of social justice?”

The syndicate appealed to the State Council to grant justice to the National Social Security Fund, expressing its confidence in the fairness of its rulings and decisions. It also called on the Ministry of Labor, the General Labor Confederation, and the rest of the syndicates to join efforts to protect this important national facility.

In conclusion of its statement, the syndicate stressed that it “will use all available legal means to preserve the National Social Security Fund and protect the rights of employees,” and urged the political forces to rush to act to protect the last strongholds of social justice in Lebanon.