Sulaymaniyah departments continue strike for second day

SULAYMANIYAH – Another wave of public sector strikes is sweeping Sulaymaniyah as employees from multiple departments, including the judiciary, electricity, water, and the Traffic Department, picket for the second consecutive day due to delays in receiving their salaries.

This collective action has been mirrored by employees of the Integrity Court in the districts of Ranya, Qaladze, and Hajiawa, who have also commenced a boycott of their duties over similar grievances.

A source from the Sulaymaniyah Traffic Department highlighted the resolve of the strikers, stating, “This morning, Monday, employees went to work, held a meeting, and are now returning home to continue the strike.” They further emphasized their demand for the payment of salaries before they would consider returning to work and urged the public not to cross the picket line at the Sulaymaniyah Traffic Department.

Peshdar Abubakr, a staff member of the Integrity Court in Ranya, echoed this sentiment, telling 964media, “All of us, the employees of the Integrity Courts in Ranya, Qaladze, and Hajiawa, have boycotted our duties. We will not end the boycott until we receive our salaries.” Although judges in the Integrity Court of Ranya continue their work, the court’s administrative staff have joined the broader movement by participating in the boycott.

The strike actions have affected citizens’ daily lives, with one citizen outside the Ranya court expressing frustration over their inability to complete necessary transactions due to the staff boycott. These disruptions come in the wake of months-long teachers’ strikes that have significantly impacted the academic year for students in the governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja.