Strikes end in most areas
Halabja teachers suspend strike, await government action
HALABJA — Teachers in Halabja, who initiated a walkout at the beginning of the academic year, have paused their strike.
Many schools across the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates have been closed since the bell rang for the new term in September. The news will be welcomed by the Kurdistan Regional Government, which was under increasing pressure from the unprecedented nature of the strikes.
However, a number of teachers remain wary, cautioning that they stand ready to strike should government assurances not come to fruition.
The strikes saw participation from educators across Halabja, Sulaimaniyah, Garmiyan, and Raparin. Their demands include punctual salary payments, formal appointments that eschew temporary contracts, and advancements.
There have been chronic delays to salary payments for public sector workers in the Kurdistan Region, with people going months without a pay packet.
A news conference held on Monday disclosed the temporary halt of the strike in Halabja, with educational activities set to resume on Tuesday. Nonetheless, some teachers are yet to be persuaded.
Activist and teacher Farhad Qadir told 964media that educators would keep a close eye on governmental actions. He highlighted that any shortfall in meeting the teachers’ demands would provoke a resurgence of the protests.
The root of the teachers’ discontent traces back to persistent challenges within the Kurdistan Region, notably financial constraints leading to salary delays. Furthermore, many teachers face employment instability, working under temporary contracts.
Recent proposed modifications to Iraq’s budget legislation have kindled hope for a potential solution, with the Kurdistan Regional Government committing to meeting the demands.
Despite this, a degree of skepticism persists among some teachers, attributed to a track record of unmet promises.
Sharazur teachers take their protest inside education directorate building
