Jordan teachers demanding wage increases clash with police

AMMAN, Jordan – Thousands of teachers protested in Jordan on Thursday to demand higher wages, with some scuffling with security forces.

Organizers of the demonstration in the capital, Amman, said the government has yet to deliver on a 50% wage increase agreed upon in 2014.

Security forces blocked roads and prevented the protesters from reaching the prime minister’s office. The teachers gathered in different areas, chanting anti-government slogans and calling for an open-ended sit-in.

Organizers had called on teachers in other cities to protest at their schools if security forces prevented them from travelling to Amman.

The teachers’ syndicate later called for a strike on Sunday, the first day of the school week.

The government said in a statement that it is committed to dialogue with the teachers but that classes should not be interrupted and performance must improve. The Education Ministry says a 50% salary increase would cost nearly $160 million per year.