- Tweeter
republish
They begin their third week of strike. In Jordan, most teachers did not return to classes at the beginning of September, they demand an increase in wages. They had demonstrated in Amman, the capital, earlier this month, and the security forces had violently dispersed their rallies. Since then, their demands have hardened, a real showdown between their union and the government.
With our correspondent in Amman, Jerome Boruszewski
They are asking for a salary increase of 50%. Teachers are also demanding excuses for police violence, tear gas and arrests. Fifty or so on September 5 when teachers were demonstrating in the streets of the Jordanian capital.
The strikers do not accept the disproportionate reaction of the authorities, they say, some demand the resignation of the Minister of the Interior. Their movement spread, Sunday rallies were held in Mafraq, in the north of the country.
The government, for its part, does not calm the game. To solve the crisis, a minister has proposed to dissolve the union teachers, which have about one hundred thousand members. A 50% salary increase for teachers would cost the Jordanian state more than $ 150 million. Impossible, argues the government, given the abysmal public debt of the country.
Both sides say they are open to dialogue, but they accuse each other of intransigence. The government offered the strikers a working document at the end of last week, a document called "vague" by the teachers' union.