eyewitness report from hebron...
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Robert Naiman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 16:55:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: CPTeam
Subject: West BankTeachers Protest PA Detention of Co-Workers
23 April 1997
HEBRON: West BankTeachers Protest PA Detention of Co-Workers
by Mark Frey
HEBRON, WEST BANK -- Over 500 teachers marched through the streets of
Hebron toady in protest of the detention of 25 teachers by Palestinian
Authority (PA) Security forces on 21 April. The march was the latest
expression of West Bank teachers’ three month struggle with the PA
for better wages and work conditions. The detainees are known to be
the representative leadership of the teachers’ movement.
As hundreds of teachers gathered this afternoon in Hebron and
began their march, Palestinian police and Preventive Security told the
crowd the march was illegal. The crowd ignored the police and marched
anyway, gathering at a local high school to issue statements. Police
did not interfere with the protest.
For the past three months, teachers have been demanding better
pension plans and a 100% salary increase over current levels which now
average $300US a month. Teachers decided to strike on 3 April,
rejecting a modest PA proposal of a 10% increase, and defying the
PA’s threats to fire leaders of the teacher’s union. The PA
responded by suspending 19 teachers for their role in organizing the
labor union. In response, teachers throughout the West Bank stopped
classes and went on strike.
The non-partisan teacher movement is the first real
people’s social movement under the Palestinian Authority. Many are
watching events closely to monitor how Chairman Arafat and the PA are
responding to the teachers’ strike and nonviolent struggle for
better wages.
Teacher representatives recently met with Chairman Arafat on
19 April to negotiate a solution. The meeting was a failure. Sources
say Arafat insulted the teachers’ leadership and refused to
dialogue. Following the meeting, the PA unilaterally announced to the
media that the teachers strike had ended, in direct opposition to the
position of the teacher leadership which continued to call for all
teachers to maintain the strike.
The union leadership polled teachers on 21-22 April regarding
the strike. The results of that poll will guide future decisions about
continuing the strike.
Today, protesting teachers called for the immediate release of
the detained teachers as a show of the PA’s willingness to continue
good-faith negotiations and as a pre-condition for consideration for
ending the strike.
While one major issue is the teachers’ wages, perhaps more
importantly the teachers are looking for an "agreement in principle"
from the PA that their wages should be significantly increased.
_________________________________________________
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