BEIRUT: Land transportation unions held a meeting Wednesday to prepare for the strike that will take place on Sept. 15 to protest against the government’s negligence of their demands.

“We are meeting today to call upon all public drivers to participate in the strike and stop working on Sept. 15 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in addition to distributing statements with our demands to citizens, municipalities and mayors,” said Kamal Shmeit, head of the transportation union in south Lebanon.

Shmeit announced that a strike will also be planned on Sept. 16 from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., which will be followed by meetings to prepare for a wider strike that would include cutting off roads in a peaceful manner all over Lebanese areas on Sept. 22.

“We are just trying to demand for our rights in a civilized manner,” Shmeit said.

Labor and trade unions have repeatedly petitioned the government to eliminate all taxes and fees on gasoline prices, which are estimated to generate more than $600 million for the treasury.

The state collects more than LL6,500 for every 20 liters of gasoline. The last gasoline tax cut took place in February after prices of fuels reached record highs.

The unions are demanding that a drivers’ subsidy agreement, inked in May between former Finance Minister Raya Hasan and driver union chiefs, be implemented in order to help them deal with fuel price surges.