MPs urge teachers to end week-long strike, more efforts from gov’t

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday met with the Jordan Teachers’ Association (JTA) in an effort to mediate towards an agreement that would end the teachers’ open strike, which crosses the one-week mark today.

In a statement following the meeting, the Lower House called on teachers to cease the strike and resort to dialogue with the various stakeholders in solving their problems, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The chamber also urged the government to exert more efforts to improve the living conditions of Jordanians, including teachers. 

The House conveyed to teachers that reconsidering their strike does not constitute compromising their demands or rights, rather, adopting an alternative path to voicing their grievances through dialogue. 

The JTA announced an open strike on Saturday that began on Sunday, demanding a 50-per cent pay raise that the association says was promised by the government five years ago but was never implemented.

Several meetings were held with the government since, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement to suspend the strike, in which all teachers in the Kingdom’s public schools are taking part in.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz hinted at possible legal measures that could be taken if teachers persisted with their open strike.

"There is a legal aspect to the strike; we believe in a strong state that is governed by the rule of law, and a strong society and institutions that abide by it. In the event the JTA insists on continuing with the strike, every action will have its consequence," Razzaz said in a televised interview in his first public remarks since the announcement of the strike.