Mobile network operators Alfa and Touch employees either launched an open-ended strike yesterday or are working as usual, depending on who you ask. Alfa and Touch employees and management issued contradictory statements, the former claiming “a work stoppage” in response to unhonored promises and the latter announcing yesterday “would be a normal working day, as well as the days to come.” Cell phone employees’ union head Marc Aoun cited a backlog of annual salary increases unimplemented since 2018 and disparate raises and promotions received by only one-fifth of employees. An undisclosed agreement between the Telecommunications Ministry and mobile operator employees in September ended a strike to demand increased wages. Earlier this year, new mobile telecom tariffs came into effect with a significant increase to customers’ bills; mobile telecom employees’ salaries did not meet a similar increase, apparently.