(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Public sector nurses on Saturday decided to suspend their sit-in and cancel their planned open-ended work stoppage until April 1, government officials and sector representatives said.
Minister of Health Abdul Latif Wreikat told The Jordan Times the decision followed prolonged meetings last Thursday and yesterday with members of the Jordan Nurses and Midwives Association (JNMA).
During the meetings, the ministry presented a proposal to convince nurses to reconsider their plan to start an open-ended work stoppage.
Public sector nurses held an eight-hour work stoppage starting last Wednesday and were planning to start an open-ended sit-in today in protest against the recently implemented salary restructuring plan.
However, "they decided to suspend the sit-in after the proposal we presented today [Saturday]", Hayel Obeidat, the minister's adviser for technical affairs told The Jordan Times after a seven-hour meeting with JNMA members.
He explained that the ministry's proposal includes revisiting titles of nurses as suggested by their association and to unify financial incentives of nurses regardless of their workplace.
In addition, "we will establish nurseries for children of nurses working in the ministry within one week based on a request made by the association", Obeidat said, adding that the minister will also submit a proposal to the Cabinet to increase nurses' allowances by 30 per cent.
According to Obeidat, the ministry will also restructure the nursing departments in public hospitals.
Khalid Abu Azizeh, JNMA president, said: "We appreciate the efforts made by the ministry and hope this proposal will be implemented as agreed."
He told The Jordan Times that the proposal made by the ministry meets the demands of association members, "thus, we decided to suspend the sit-in until April 1, and to check on the implementation of the ministry's promises".
