Gov’t’s hard-hit sectors list draws mixed reactions

AMMAN — The Labour Ministry’s expansion of the list of sectors most affected by the coronavirus pandemic drew mixed reactions from stakeholders.

The Labour Ministry recently announced the expansion of the list, which included 20 sectors up to September, going up to 32 sectors in October.

The list now includes driving schools, educational and cultural centres, Oriental bathhouses, nurseries, health centres and gyms, among others.

“We do think we deserve to be up on that list, because since the minute education went back online, we had to stop our programmes immediately,” said Leen Abu Rumman, a children’s programme director at a cultural centre in Amman.

The centre, which offers additional English, Arabic, Mathematics and Science classes as well as extracurricular activities to children up to 12 years old, was “affected more than private schools by the distance learning decision,” according to Rumman.

“Parents are obliged to pay private school fees so that their children have a formal outlet of education. However, parents are not obliged to sign their children up for extra classes or fun activities, so we are now completely out of work,” said Rumman.

Noting that the centre has had to lay off six freelance teachers, Rumman added that “educational and cultural centres have had to take some tough decisions, so being added to the most affected sectors list is a deserved recognition”.

However, not all the sectors were pleased with their listing.

Ammar Zaidan, a member of the Jordanian Electricity Workers group, said that being included amongst the most affected list “harms the sector”.

“Most workers in the electrical sector are freelancers, and very little are formally employed in companies. A freelance electrician will not benefit from this decision, with the government giving companies the right to reduce the wages of tens of thousands of electricians formally employed in companies,” Zaidan said.

He stressed that “the decision to activate Defence Order No.6, which is the one by which the right to announce these sectors, has caused a heavy burden on workers as a result of reduced wages and layoffs by employers without consulting with the workers or their representatives”.

Defence Order No. 6  aims to protect the rights of workers during curfews.

Spokesman for the Ministry of Labour Mohammad Zyoud told The Jordan Times that the ministry “drafts the list in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply in light of recent developments and in the best interest of the worker and employer”.