Nurses Threaten Escalation, Strikes

AMMONNEWS - The Jordan Nurses and Midwives Council (JNMC) on Sunday decided to escalate measures to call on the government to endorse their demands, which include raising wages and administrative restructuring.

The Council formed a 'coordination committee' representing Ministry of Health nurses, estimated at 5,000, to organize the "escalation program" which will begin with a protest in front of the Prime Ministry headquarters on Wednesday.

The nurses threatened to stage protests and go on strike throughout the kingdom if the Council's demands are not met.

In a press conference held on Sunday, Head of JNMC Khalid Abu Azizeh said that resorting to escalation measures is a result of the government's "procrastination" in meeting the nurses' financial and administrative demands.

He added that JNMC did not receive any response from the Ministry of Health regarding its proposals to address the problems facing unemployed nurses and nursing training programs.

Azizeh noted that JNMC will call on nurses from the private sector to join their colleagues in the Ministry of Health in their demands.

He added that JNMC will meet with the Health Parliamentary Committee on Monday to discuss nurses' demands.

* By Banan Malkawi from Ammon News Arabic