The Secretary-General of the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions, Shaher Saad expected a number ranging from 70.000 to 100.000 workers from inside the Green Line within days of the occupation imposing a curfew inside “Israel”, which will be a very serious Palestinian challenge.
Saad asked, in a statement to the “Rayah” media network, the workers returning to the obligation of self-quarantine to protect themselves, their families and their community, and if any health notes related to the Coronavirus were recorded, contact the preventive medicine departments in the governorates for safety and health follow-up.
Saad considered the return of this large number of workers inside the Green Line to the governorates of the West Bank a serious challenge that requires the highest levels of individual, social and governmental responsibility due to the spread of the pandemic among Israelis.
The Secretary-General noted the agreement between the private sector and the government to pay 50% of wages for the 3-4 months of this year, with a minimum of 1.000 NIS as fair for workers and the private sector in light of the current emergency.
Saad stated that the estimated 25.000 workers in the private sector will benefit from this agreement, although many private sector institutions have committed to higher rates of wages from 70 to 100% of the salary value, calling any worker with the private sector subjected to unfairness from employers in contradection with the agreement, to visit the offices of the Ministry of Labor, the union’s offices, or through the toll-free number of the union (1800120120).
Saad stressed the need for workers to adhere to their agreed rights between the government and the private sector, especially women workers without hesitation, calling on workers in the governorates to communicate with the union directly or via the toll-free number and the union will work to find solutions for them.
Saad pointed out that the federation is within the governmental emergency committee and follows the daily conditions according to the requirements of the emergency to arrange the conditions of workers and ensure that this dangerous stage is exceeded with minimal losses, explaining that the union employees work from their homes within the precautionary measures while continuing their work to follow up on workers’ issues permanently.
Saad praised President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to announce the early state of emergency and the government measures led by the Prime Minister to continue dealing with developments in the health situation, including ensuring that the
health situation does not deteriorate in light of what is happening in a number of countries where the pandemic has spread.
#Palestine #Coronavirus #COVID19 #Workers #SelfIsolation #Precaution
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