Ministry resolved 56 labour disputes this year — Katamine

AMMAN — The Labour Ministry has resolved more than 56 labour disputes this year, with support from the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU), Labour Minister Nidal Katamine said Saturday.

Speaking at the federation’s eighth annual conference, Katamine added that the ministry works to safeguard the rights of labourers and employers, and to ensure the flow of the production process. 

He commended GFJTU’s role, noting that it has ensured professionalism, which “raised the standard of living and work efficiency, achieved social and economic development, and protected the rights of association members”. 

“We are all obliged to work together as a team... to achieve... equality and justice,” noted Katamine, who was deputising for Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour. 

GFJTU President Mazen Maaytah emphasised the importance of engaging the workforce and their role in the country’s social development.

“The federation has managed to sign around 380 collective agreements during the previous session, from which over a million workers around the Kingdom benefited,” Maaytah said. 

He added that the agreements cost around JD600 million, which helped “raise the living standards of citizens, stabilise the work environment and ensure job security”.

Maaytah noted that discussions and seminars facilitate the process of engaging the workforce and remove obstacles to development and production. 

“The Arab world is [witnessing] harsh circumstances; it is necessary for us to deal with them and agree on a suitable positive reaction to these changes,” he said. 

Khaled Habahbeh, of the GFJTU’s public relations department, said there are plans to improve its relationship with journalists and to launch a website soon to improve its outreach.