Apr 19,2012

AMMAN -- Negotiations are still ongoing to resolve a dispute between Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO) and its employees, according to a representative of the workers.

Sameer Hijazin, vice president of the JEPCO workers' independent union, told The Jordan Times on Thursday that the employees, who have been on strike since April 8, decided to give the company until Sunday morning to meet their demands.

JEPCO employees are asking for improved financial benefits, including four months bonus salary each year, end-of-service allowances, better health insurance and transportation services for all workers.

On Wednesday, the employees threatened that they would escalate their strike and hold an open-ended demonstration outside the Prime Ministry if the company did not meet their demands by Thursday.

But MP Mohammad Maraayeh (Southern Badia), who met with workers on Thursday, said they promised him that they would not escalate their strike action until Sunday.

"The employees were cooperative and decided to stick with the most important demands. I believe that their demands are simple and do not cost a lot," he told The Jordan Times over the phone.

"Minister of Labour Maher Wakid and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Qutaiba Abu Qura are working on the issue and we hope that we will find solutions soon," Maraayeh added.

JEPCO employees are continuing to refuse bill payments from subscribers, whom the company has urged to pay their bills at post offices and banks instead.

JEPCO Director General Marwan Bushnaq previously said that the strike was hurting the company's finances, noting that because employees have been refusing bill payments from subscribers the company is owed around JD5 million in payments.

He has also said that both the employees' union and the strike were illegal, and that the company was planning to take legal action against the strikers.

Earlier this week, Bushnaq said the workers' demands were unreasonable because they already receive three months bonus salary, social security coverage, full health insurance coverage and transportation allowances.

© Jordan Times 2012