Technical education employees stage sit-in [Archives:2006/929/Front Page]
By: Saddam Al-Ashmori
SANA'A, March 15 ) Technical and training education employees and teachers staged a sit-in Tuesday, March 13 at the Industrial Institute in Sana'a due to lack of response by authorities to their demands for improving their status and not implementing the wages and salaries law. The sit-in came within 10 days of the employees' earlier strike.
Mohamed Yahya Al-Hakeem, head of the Technical Employees Syndicate, explained that the reason for the strike was deteriorating situations of technical education employees. He pointed out that following last July's rise in petroleum derivatives prices, foodstuffs, rent, water and electric bills, medicine and all necessities prices also increased, whereas salaries only increased 5-10 percent. He said some of the sector's employees didn't receive any increase, adding that the matter exerted more stress upon employees and rendered them unable to do their duties.
Al-Hakeem said the syndicate moved earlier in September, warning that teachers' situations were deteriorating and they may not be able to carry out their duties. He explained that these were the reasons leading to the sit-in, warning that it may continue for a long time unless their demands are met quickly. He added that they are ready to cease the sit-in if their demands are fulfilled.
Among syndicate demands is halting cancellation of incentives and threats to allowances, letting them continue as a work allowance, as stipulated in Article 30 of the wage law. They also demand transferring education employees and assigning them to corresponding grades according to law and their working years. They also call for fair treatment for experienced technical education employees with no scientific qualifications, whose experience is equivalent to those obtaining high posts due to their qualifications. They rank from 15 – 20 in the government job ladder.
They also demand the wage structure be restructured so it caters to differences between commencement and end of wages; the government live up to its commitment to implement the law according to determined phases in a limited time, the maximum wage be eight times the minimum, as according to law, and allowances be offered as fixed legal rights.
The syndicate issued a Nov. 8, 2005 statement asking technical and vocational education employees to wear red badges Nov. 8-15 and begin a partial strike Nov. 15 to Dec. 1. A sit-in in front of the Cabinet was staged in cooperation with the teachers' syndicate.
According to promises the syndicates obtained from a committee formed by the Cabinet, the end of January was the deadline for resolving teachers' problems. Strike activities were suspended until the first term ended, but promises were not fulfilled, so employees resumed striking January 21.
The Ministry of Civil Services and technical education representatives signed a memorandum to suspend the strike until Feb. 25. Nothing in the memorandum was fulfilled, so the syndicate ordered the comprehensive strike's resumption from March 4 until all demands are fulfilled. In a syndicate statement, employees hold authorities accountable for all results of the strike.
Syndicate General Secretary Abdurrahman Al-Sanhani explained that the strike drew authorities' attention to take care of technical education employees and teachers. They said they do not like striking, but they were forced to because teachers' status was not improved according to the law.
Jamilah, a teacher at the institute, said the strike is a message to authorities to live up to their commitments and improve teachers' status like that of Ministry of Education employees. She pointed out that authorities are interested in students and the strike means stopping teaching.
Teacher Yasser explained that a teacher's salary is not enough to rent a house, confirming that the strike is aimed at improving technical employees' status. He said they do not demand to be equal with Ministry of Education teachers, but with those of higher education, adding that technical education is productive. He asked that care first be taken for human elements prior to equipment and buildings.
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