A comprehensive strike on Wednesday has shut down all public schools in the Gaza Strip under an order from the Gaza teachers’ union, in protest against the non-payment of teachers’ salaries, Ma’an reported.
The teachers’ union said in a statement that the schools, the education ministry, and the educational directorates will be completely closed Wednesday, in rejection of teachers’ forced retirement, a policy discriminating between the teachers of northern and southern Gaza Strip, the stopped payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances, and the Palestinian Authority’s punitive measures against the people of Gaza.
The Public Employees’ Union supported the teachers’ union’s comprehensive strike, stressing their legitimate rights and demands.
In a statement, the PEU saluted the “sincere and loyal teachers,” and all its male and female employees who “perform their services to the Palestinian citizen without hesitation or boredom.”
Both are desired qualities in public employees.
The PEU suggested that the success of the reconciliation government is closely linked to a fair solution to the plight of Gazan employees, and categorically rejected the arbitrary actions of the government of PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah against the employees of the Authority in Gaza, most notably the elimination of salaries and forced retirement.
“We reject the continuation of sanctions against the Gaza Strip,” the union declared, vowing to continue protest activities until public employees regain their full job security.