Jordan's crisis cell refutes claims that wedding halls to reopen soon

In an interview with Al Mamlaka TV, a representative of the cell debunked all claims that the halls would reopen in July and all information about operational protocols following their return to work.

In mid-June, The Jordan Times received a statement from the Jordan Labour Watch (JLW) revealing that the coronavirus crisis has caused an accumulation of rent and debts on loans that were granted for building new halls before the crisis, which “could amount to JD1 million per hall”.

At the time, the JLW reported that wedding halls depend on employing daily wage workers, who are not subscribed to the Social Security Corporation. Many of these workers are women whose incomes depend entirely on their jobs. These employees work as ushers, planners, causal/service workers or cleaners, and are currently facing “very difficult living conditions”.

The JLW has conducted various interviews with wedding hall owners and workers, all of whom have reported that their livelihoods have been impacted by the coronavirus crisis as closures that began in mid-March continue.

The closure of wedding halls has not only impacted the sector itself, but has also caused the suspension of activities of other related sectors that provide services and materials specifically tailored for wedding halls, such as sweet shops, transportation, hair salons, flower shops, car rental agencies, wedding dress designers and renters, musicians and photographers, among others, according to the labour watch.