Bassam Zakarna, head of the Government Teachers Union stated on Monday that all governmental teachers will hold a general strike on Wednesday, and that they will escalate their procedures if the government does not abide by the signed agreement regarding transferring their salaries.Zakarna stated that the Dr. Nasser Ed Deen El Sha’er, the Finance Minister, said that the government will transfer a half-month salary to the teachers, adding that if these statements and other promises are not fulfilled, the teacher will hold further strikes.
He added that these strikes are not against the government as a legitimate institution, but they are carried out since the teachers became unable even to pay for their transportation expenses, and do not have money to feed their children.
Zakarna also said that the employees, civil and military servants, are facing unbearable conditions, and that the government must carry further efforts to pay them their full salaries, especially since the banks are taking interests on the late payments while the employees have to pay their daily expenses which includes housing, transportation, food, medication and other expenses.
He also said that the Teachers Union will hold a meeting soon in order to decide further steps which will include working only three days a week until the teachers receive their full salaries.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Teachers Committees slammed the statements of the Finance Minister who said that the government will pay a half-month salary at the beginning of each month, and considered these statements as “voiding the agreement with the government”.
The Committees threatened to hold further strikes and protests if the teachers were not paid their full and late salaries.
The Committees called on the international community to lift the unjust siege imposed on the Palestinian people and their government since last year’s legislative elections in which Hamas movement achieved an overwhelming victory.
The Committees also demanded the government to prosecute the policemen who attacked the striking teachers with batons and weapon-buts as they protested in front of the Ministers Council in Ramallah.
