Jordan teachers launch strike, demand pay raise

AMMAN, Jordan – Teachers in Jordan are launching an open-ended strike after negotiations with the government failed to yield a raise.

A Jordanian teacher’s union announced the strike Sunday, saying the government hasn’t implemented a 50% salary increase agreed upon in 2014.

Jordan is a staunch military and political ally of the West in a turbulent region. In June, 2018, a proposed tax hike triggered strikes and the largest anti-government protests in recent years, eventually leading King Abdullah II to replace his prime minister.

On Thursday, thousands of Jordanian teachers protested in the capital, Amman, demanding higher wages. Some scuffled with security forces during the demonstration.

The Education Ministry says it is committed to dialogue with teachers but said pay raises must be tied to better performance.