Public university employees suspend strike action

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) -- The union for public university and college employees announced Saturday that they have suspended their strike action for one week.

The group said in a statement that the suspension was a goodwill gesture to give the Palestinian Authority an opportunity to start "constructive dialogue."

The Palestinian Authority has set up a committee to carry out dialogue with the union, the statement added, noting that it will be supervised by the labor, education and finance ministries.

A session will be held on March 18 to discuss salary improvement, the key demand of the strike action.

The union of employees represents Al-Aqsa University in Gaza, Palestine Technical College, Palestinian technical colleges in Deir Al-Balah, Arroub refugee camp and Ramallah, as well as the Science and Technology College in Khan Younis and Al-Ummah College in Jerusalem.

Employees have been undertaking strike action since February over the salary disagreement.