Despite the resignation of the Jordanian government and the designation of a new premier to form another, the country’s 15 professional unions decided to maintain their strikes, announcing a sit-in to be held on Wednesday.
“The sit-in and the strike will still be held tomorrow (Wednesday),” said Ali al-Abous, head of the Professional Unions Association, during a press conference after a meeting of union representatives.
“The strike will start in the morning and continue until the afternoon, followed by a sit-in,” he added.
Abous called on Prime Minister-designate Omar al-Razzaz to “open a constructive dialogue with all popular figures to get out of this impasse that resulted from the draft income tax law.”
In exclusive remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the head of the Professional Unions Association said: “Street protests will not calm down until the government responds to the demands of the movement to abolish the income tax law.”
He underlined the need for “a significant change in government’s approach,” otherwise, “demonstrations and sit-ins will increase.”
In parallel, sources close to the unions told Asharq Al-Awsat that those had differing opinions regarding street protests.
“There is a difference of views between the unions, as most trade unions tend to calm the street, and to suspend the strike and sit-ins, in order to give the opportunity for the new government to announce its plan of action, and judge its behavior in two weeks,” the sources said.
They noted in this regard that the unions have agreed, during Tuesday’s meeting, to hold the sit-in the next day, following which they will give the government the opportunity to announce its future program.
On Tuesday, King Abdullah II called for a review of the controversial draft tax law that has sparked days of anti-austerity protests in the kingdom.
The demonstrations forced on Monday the resignation of Premier Hani Mulki. He was replaced by Omar al-Razzaz.
In a letter charging Razzaz with forming a government, King Abdullah II said the latter “must carry out a comprehensive review of the tax system” to avoid “unjust taxes that do not achieve justice and balance between the incomes of the poor and the rich.”
