Dispute escalates for Lebanese airline

Lebanese police guard have had to guard MEA's offices

Ground crews at Lebanon's Middle East Airlines (MEA) say they will strike on 3 and 4 July, escalating a bitter dispute with management over plans to trim staff.

The move, which the ground crew workers' union announced in a statement, would effectively bring operations at Beirut's airport to a halt.

Mr Hout took refuge behind a steel door in his office

Its workers have already staged walkouts that delayed flights, including five on Monday.

Workers at the airline oppose government plans to get rid of over 1,000 of the 4,500 workers who staff and maintain MEA's nine planes.

MEA officials say the cuts are necessary if the company is to avoid bankruptcy.

Refuge

Workers received their dismissal notices last week.

They stormed the company's offices at the airport, forcing MEA chairman Muhammad Hout to take refuge behind a steel door in his office while security forces grappled with protesters.

MEA says it faces bankruptcy unless over 1,000 workers accept dismissal

Lebanon's central bank, which acquired nearly all of the company in 1996, has pledged to put up about $100m to compensate redundant workers and give others early retirement.

MEA has lost about $450m in the last five years.

Political patronage appointments from Lebanon's various confessional groups have swelled the airline's staff, with Shi'ite Muslims making up a large portion of those who are threatened with redundancy.

The leadership of Lebanon's Shi'ite Hizbollah guerrilla group and its deputies in parliament have warned against going ahead with plans to cut the workforce.

The Lebanese government hopes cutting the staff will make the airline more attractive for a privatisation that could help whittle down the country's $24bn of public debt.