Dar Al Dawa workers suspend strike amid settlement with administration

AMMAN — Employees of Dar Al Dawa Company on Thursday suspended their 10-day strike after an agreement was reached between workers and the administration of the company during a meeting held by the Parliamentary Labour Committee under the chairmanship of MP Khalid Al Fanatseh. 

A total of 850 employees initiated an open ended strike last Tuesday after the company’s administration failed to meet their demands to adjust the salaries of veteran employees, establish a clear system for promotions within the company, activate the incentives system and create an environment of job security, according to General Trade Union of Workers in Health Services President Mohammad Ghanem. 

Signed by Ghanem and Dar Al Dawa General Manager Khalid Al Kurdi, the agreement stipulated that the workers would cancel their strike and return to work immediately in exchange for a JD30 salary increase in terms of cost of living allowance due by August. They also received guarantees that no disciplinary actions or penalties will be applied to employees in relation to the protests.  

The agreement was signed in the presence of Ministry of Labour Secretary General Hani Khalifat, Director General of Labour Relations at the Ministry of Labour Hani Al Sawalha and Chairman of Dar Al Dawa Abdul Rahim Jardana. 

“This agreement meets some of the demands submitted by employees of Dar Al Dawa, but it does not fulfill the aspirations of workers who were hoping to see all of their demands met,” Ghanem commented, noting that “it was agreed with the administration that the dialogue would remain open for all demands to be implemented upon the conclusion of a study conducted by the company on the internal organisational issues”. 

“We believe in positive dialogue because we are part of the company, and we will not allow anyone to hinder this pioneering path and disturb the positive relations between employers and employees,” members of the union committee at Dar Al Dawa stated. 

For his part, Fanatseh said: “This step confirms the keenness of the company and its employees to maintain a relationship of understanding and mutual appreciation,” and praised “the atmosphere and positive spirit” that prevailed in the meeting as a “role model” in labour disputes.

“The employees are part of the company’s capital and important assets and we will do our utmost to improve their situation within the available resources,” Al Kurdi said, expressing the company’s management’s “willingness to maintain a family-like relationship with all workers”.