Lead:
The Committee of Contracted Professors at the Lebanese University announced on October 22, 2026, a one-week suspension of their strike, citing a "careful and responsible" welcome to a Cabinet decision dividing the full-time employment file into four tranches with numbered beneficiaries in each. The government committed to submitting the names of the first three groups to the Council of Ministers in its next session for formal approval, with the committee pledging daily follow-up to ensure implementation and monitor the fourth tranche's timeline.
Details:
According to Al-Akhbar, the Cabinet decision of October 22 represents the first concrete step toward resolving a dispute that had prompted the university's contracted workforce to halt teaching. The committee framed its decision to pause action as a "gesture of good faith," indicating conditional confidence in the government's commitment to the phased approach rather than capitulation.
The structure divides eligible candidates across four cohorts, with the first three groups advancing toward formal Council endorsement. The committee emphasized it will maintain "persistent and daily monitoring" to guarantee approval of the three initial tranches while simultaneously tracking the fourth group's progress against the government's stated deadline for decision-making. No date was specified for Cabinet consideration or formal ratification.
The committee did not disclose reasons for the strike, the size of the contracted workforce, or whether salary arrears, benefits, or permanent-contract conversion drove the action. Government sources did not issue parallel statements clarifying the Cabinet's rationale, implementation timeline, or funding source for full-time positions. The one-week suspension window remains the only hard endpoint acknowledged by either party.
Watch For:
The Cabinet's next scheduled session and whether names of the first three cohorts are tabled as planned. Whether the committee extends the suspension or resumes strike action if formal approval is delayed beyond the announced timeframe. Definition of "tranche" criteria—seniority, discipline, or other metrics—which the sources do not specify.