A group of female laborers Monday blocked off the road in a neighborhood in the southern suburb of Beirut, in a protest against Syrian foreign competition in the district.
Protesters held signs complaining of the unfair work conditions, particularly in the area, the National News Agency reported.
One protester held a banner reading: "the carpenter is Syrian, the taxi [driver] is Syrian, the clothing [seller] is Syrian. Do you want the presidency too?"
The protests come in the wake of the recent campaign launched by the Lebanese Labor Ministry to organize foreign employment in the country. Authorities have been pushing for stricter inspections and regulations on Syrian laborers, warning that the high influx of foreign workers could jeopardize the Lebanese population's rate of employment.
The steady rise in Syrian refugees has heavily impacted Lebanon's economy and infrastructure. Since foreign workers tend to accept lower wages than Lebanese laborers, local and international businesses have preferred them to Lebanese labor, according to former Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi.
Lebanon is currently hosting 1.03 million Syrians registered with the UNHCR, though the Lebanese government estimated numbers might be closer to 1.5 million.
Competition for jobs in a tight labor market has frequently led to antagonism between Lebanese laborers and foreign workers, with Lebanese workers sometimes protesting against foreign competition.
Despite numerous claims that refugees have edged many Lebanese out of the job market, no reliable statistics are available to determine the role of the Syrian workforce within the current economic trend.
