95% of govt workers on strike

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Around 95 percent of government employees answered their union’s call to strike on Sunday, the union chief said.

Bassam Zakarneh told Ma’an that the strike was the first step of protests held by the union until the government meets their demands.

Zakarneh called on the government to start serious talks with employees and asked it to be fair in dealing with workers’ unions.

The union will escalate its strike to two days next week and three the following week before starting an open strike on Oct. 6, he added.

Zakarneh claimed that Basel Ramahi, general director at the Ministry of Finance, issued a memo indicating that employees will receive pay cuts for days they go on strike.