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Ref: 169/2005

Date: 22 December 2005

Time: 12:00 GMT

Following PCHR’s Intervention with the Ministry of Local Government, Union of Workers at the Municipality of Rafah Suspends Strike

PCHR’s mediation has resulted in a suspension of the strike of staff members of the Municipality of Rafah, as the Ministry of Local Government has agreed to immediately pay delayed salaries through increasing the Municipality’s bank credit. There were concerns over the possibility of an environmental disaster in Rafah as a result of the strike of municipality workers. The provision of all basic services had stopped because of the strike.  

PCHR welcomes the decision taken by the Union of Workers at The Municipality of Rafah to suspend their strike, which continued for 4 days.  PCHR has intervened with the Union and the Ministry of Local Government.  The Ministry has agreed to increase the Municipality’s bank credit to 1.5 million NIS, which allows the Municipality to pay salaries of November 2005 to its employees. 

On Sunday morning, 18 December 2005, all employees and workers at the Municipality of Rafah, totaling 340, initiated a complete strike. They stopped the provision of all basic services provided by the Municipality, including cleaning around the city, garbage collection, maintenance of water and sewage networks, check ups on drinking water wells, receiving citizen complaints and following up services with city residents.

PCHR, which has followed up the situation from the very beginning, intervened through its Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Unit (ESC).  It made contacts with the Municipality of Rafah, its Union of Workers and the Ministry of Local Government to ensure the immediate payment of the November 2005 salaries and the payment of salaries on a regular basis in the future.  The ESC Director Khalil Shaheen contacted Mr. Hussam al-Khuzondar, the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Local Government on Wednesday, 21 December 2005.  Mr. al-Khuzondar accepted PCHR’s request to solve the problem and increase the Municipality’s bank credit from 1 million to 1.5 million NIS.  Thus, the Municipality will be able to pay delayed salaries to its employees.  PCHR also contacted the Union of Worker at the Municipality, which informed PCHR that they had received a letter from the Minister of Local Government asserting that the Ministry decided to increase the Municipality’s bank credit to 1.5 million NIS.  Subsequently, on Thursday morning, the Union decided to suspend the strike until 3 January 2006.  The Union also declared that the Municipality agreed to apply the Law of Civil Service to its employees at the beginning of the next year, while financial differences since 1 July 2005 would be paid retroactively. 

The Municipality of Rafah is suffering from a large financial deficit, caused by the increase in expenses and uncollected bills from citizens. Uncollected debt stands at around 40 million NIS, including 37 million in water utility bills. It is noted that most residents of the town are in a state of poverty or extreme poverty as a result of the widespread destruction of property by Israeli Occupation Forces, which increased unemployment and poverty. Furthermore, the security chaos in the Gaza Strip hinders the ability of Municipality, including the municipal police, to collect unpaid bills.

The Union of Workers at the Municipality of Rafah indicated that they had contacted the Ministry of Local Government to request a solution to the problem of irregularity and delays in paying salaries over the past three years. Representatives of the Union met the Ministry’s Director-General for the southern Gaza Strip, and requested that the Rafah Municipality budget be raised from 1 million to 1.5 million NIS. The request was made in order for the municipality to be able to pay the 600,000 NIS of monthly salaries and wages. The Director-General informed them that the Ministry rejects the Union’s request, and demanded that workers should improve collection of debt and bills in order to solve the problem.

While it welcomes the deal concluding with regard to the payment of delayed salaries to the employees of the Municipality of Rafah and the end of strike:

1.      PCHR appreciates the decision taken by the Minister of Local Government and the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry to immediately pay the November 2005 salaries to employees of the Municipality of Rafah through increasing the Municipality’s bank credit. 

2.      PCHR calls upon the Ministry to implement decisions taken by the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Cabinet to apply the Law of Civil Service to employees at local councils retroactively from 1 July 2005. 

3.      PCHR welcomes the acceptance of the Union of Workers for PCHR’s meditation and its decision to end the strike, and calls upon the employees to coordinate with the Ministry of Local Government to put mechanisms to collect delayed bills. 

4.      PCHR calls upon the local community and citizens to contribute to solving the problem through paying delayed bills to allow the Municipality to pay salaries to its employees regularly. 

5.      PCHR emphasizes the right of each person to enjoy appropriate living conditions. 

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