Labor minister: Dialogue to raise minimum wage planned for next year

Labor Minister Khalid Al-Bakar announced that the next phase will involve constructive and organized dialogue with all stakeholders to enhance understanding in the labor market.

He emphasized the ministry's commitment to strengthening partnerships with the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU) and other labor unions during a meeting on Wednesday with the federation's president, Khaled Al-Fanatsa, and the executive office members.

Bakar assured that the ministry will not postpone addressing issues and will actively engage with workers and employers to understand their needs, aiming for a balance among workers, employers, and the government.

He stated that decisions will be made based on consensus to ensure a decent working environment and provide suitable job opportunities for Jordanians.

Regarding amended laws, Bakar confirmed that the draft labor and social security laws are in progress and welcomed feedback to improve the texts. Once approved by the Cabinet, the amendments will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

On the topic of the minimum wage, he reiterated the ministry's commitment to previous agreements and announced plans for discussions with stakeholders in the coming months to raise the minimum wage starting next year.

Bakar also assured that the union's and labor unions' demands would be carefully considered to serve the public interest.

In response, Fanatsa presented the federation's demands, including revisiting the proposed amendments to the labor and social security laws, raising the minimum wage, and enforcing Article 13 of the Labor Law, which mandates employers to hire a specific percentage of persons with disabilities.