No caving in to strikers — Ensour

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Monday said that it is morally and legally unaccepted for teachers, judges and clergymen to stage strikes, citing the harm they could cause by such an act to a large number of citizens.

During a meeting Monday with president and council members of the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA), Ensour stressed that the government did not bow to any demands certain parties raised in their work stoppages last year, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. "I will not agree to spend even one dinar in response to a demand to end a strike."

"It is no longer acceptable for teachers to threaten to stage a strike to press for certain demands. The Law Interpretation Bureau has issued a ruling, indicating that strikes are in violation of the education and JTA laws, and the Civil Service By-law," Ensour said, emphasising that the government will be firm on strikes and will take strict legal measures against those who take "children as hostages".

Last year, the association organised a two-week strike that crippled public school education at the beginning of the scholastic year.

The JTA’s demands at the time included changes to the Civil Service By-law regarding sick leaves, promotions and leaves without pay, investigating the Education Ministry’s pension fund and referring the case to the judiciary, implementing a “better medical insurance system”, enacting legislation to protect teachers against assaults, awarding them more financial benefits, and ensuring that they are given “better contracts” at private schools.

In October 2014, the Law Interpretation Bureau ruled that the teachers’ strike hampered students’ interests and right to education.
In its ruling, which was published in the Official Gazette, the bureau highlighted that strikes are an “illegitimate” tactic for teachers as they violate several by-laws as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

JTA President Hussam Masheh voiced keenness on building a fruitful partnership with the government to upgrade the education process, saying that the syndicate does not seek escalation and tension with the Education Ministry, according to Petra.

Masheh also underlined the government’s support to the JTA, commending the ministry’s “successful” management of the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi).

He also praised the government’s efforts during the recent winter storm, saying that the association’s branches across the Kingdom have contributed to the collective national effort.