PA WORK STOPPAGES CONTINUE

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000890 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS/GREENE/WATERS/BELGRADE; PRM FOR PDAS GREENE AND PRM/ANE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO; TREASURY FOR NUGENT/ADKINS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB PHUM EFIN PGOV KWBG SUBJECT: PA WORK STOPPAGES CONTINUE REF: JERUSALEM 0076 ¶1. (SBU) THE UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (UPE) HAS CALLED FOR A WORK STOPPAGE TO TAKE PLACE MAY 16 AND 18, IN PROTEST OF THE LACK OF FULL SALARY PAYMENTS, ACCORDING TO LOCAL PRESS REPORTS. THE MA'AN NEWS AGENCY REPORTED MAY 11 THAT THE PALESTINIAN TEACHERS' UNION HAD CALLED FOR PA TEACHERS TO STRIKE MAY 14-17, DEMANDING FULL SALARY AND ARREARS PAYMENTS. SINCE EARLY APRIL, THE UPE HAS CALLED FOR NUMEROUS WORK STOPPAGES, IN PROTEST OF THE PAS NON-PAYMENT OF SALARY ARREARS AND FULL SALARY PAYMENTS. THE REGIONAL FIELD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOLIDARITY CENTER ADVISED ECONOFF THAT PA EMPLOYEES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS WORK STOPPAGES CALLED BY THE UPE SINCE EARLY APRIL. THE WORK STOPPAGES HAVE BEEN HELD FOR ONE OR TWO DAYS, VARYING FROM CITY TO CITY, AND ARE OCCURRING MORE IN BETHLEHEM, TULKARAM, NABLUS AND HEBRON. WEST BANK PA CLINICS AND HOSPITALS OFFERING EMERGENCY SERVICES ONLY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) THE WB/G HEALTH CARE WORKERS' PARTIAL STRIKE, WHICH BEGAN FEBRUARY 16, CONTINUES WITH PA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN THE WEST BANK PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES ONLY. (NOTE: MOST PUBLIC HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN GAZA ARE PROVIDING GENERAL CARE, IN ADDITION TO EMERGENCY SERVICES. END NOTE.) RELATIVES OF PA EMPLOYEES TOLD ECON SPECIALIST MAY 10 THAT MOH EMPLOYEES IN THE WEST BANK ARE ONLY WORKING AN ESTIMATED TWO OR THREE DAYS EACH WEEK. WALLES