UNRWA workers end strike

Nablus – Ma'an – The Union of Arab Workers for UNRWA in the West Bank announced Saturday that strike action would end after disputed issues were settled with the administration.

The resolved issues include that of the Shu'fat refugee camp school in East Jerusalem, the union said, adding only one issue remained outstanding: dealing with strike days. The matter will be discussed with UNRWA's administration after the strike is officially ended, which is expected later Saturday after an agreement is signed by both sides.

The PLO's Refugee Affairs department said mediators were successful in ending the dispute between UNRWA and the union. "The agreement reached is satisfactory to both sides, and it guarantees protection of employees rights," said Zakariyya Al-Agha, head of the department and PLO Executive Committee member.

Employees announced strike action in mid-May after the principle of the Shu'fat school was fired, with staff citing wrongful dismissal, bringing to light other demands by the union.

Al-Agha said "the union will participate in the committee for job assessment and the principal of the Shu'fat school will be rehired at the Teachers Institute."

The union had further cited the need for a representative of the union to be appointed to all committees charged with investigations of workers, the formation of a joint committee made up of union members, and an UNRWA administration that can jointly decide on the issues of job categories and pay scale.

Workers said they had long been dissatisfied with the arbitrary nature of promotions and bonuses, and a recent dismissal of an UNRWA school headmaster tipped the scales and prompted a strike.