Electricity workers suspend strike

Workers at Lebanon's national electricity company on Friday agreed to suspend a four-day strike that threatened to plunge the country into darkness after they reached agreement with management on most of their demands, a union spokesman said.

The spokesman said they agreed to give management three additional months to respond to their remaining demands, after which workers would have to resort to strikes once again.

The demands included a 20 percent salary raise retroactive to January 1996, a 30 percent increase in education allowances and the continuation of medical aid after retirement.

The strike, during which workers left damages to the power grid unrepaired and halted collection of bills, began Tuesday after the state company, Electricite du Liban, failed to meet workers' demands for higher wages and improved conditions.

The strike led to power cuts and rationing caused by unrepaired damage to the network. The spokesman said, however, that the damages would be repaired within the next 24 to 48 hours.