Minister of Communications Johnny Al-Qarm held a meeting lasting over three and a half hours with the Ogero Employees Union. Following the meeting, Minister Al-Qarm stated that he stands by the employees and understands their suffering and needs, especially given the difficult conditions they are facing. Al-Qarm added, "I understand the union's demands and will strive to work towards fulfilling them. I have high hopes that we will reach a resolution, while at the same time, I am concerned about managing the sector and its continuity. I have requested that the union ensure that citizens’ interests are not harmed by the strike, and I am confident of their national sense in that they will respond to this appeal."
In response to a question, Al-Qarm said, "I am not the sole decision-maker in this matter. If the final decision were mine, the problem would have been resolved. However, I will work towards meeting the union's demands by obtaining the necessary approvals and finding solutions as quickly as possible, hoping we will reach a final answer early next week." The minister indicated that the union has four demands related to additional revenues for employees, which he hopes to fulfill as they are not insurmountable.
When asked about the continuation of the Ogero Employees Union's strike, Minister Al-Qarm said, "The decision lies with the union, but I repeat that the strike should be less severe so as not to harm citizens' interests, and I am sure of their good intentions." He added, "The matter of the strike's severity is not related to the efforts I will exert to resolve this issue as quickly as possible."
When questioned about whether the union is requesting salary increases to align with the Sayrafa platform, Al-Qarm stated, "The Sayrafa issue is not on the table; the matter is easier and simpler than that. There are existing applicable laws that have not been implemented, and they must be enforced, and I will assist in their implementation, no more and no less."
Responding to a question regarding whether the Prime Minister had any suggestions, the minister noted, "The suggestions came from the union, not from the Prime Minister. They were discussed yesterday with a union delegation, and I presented them today to the Prime Minister. There is a pending point that we will assess for its legality to address, and I am optimistic we will reach a solution."
After the meeting, the executive council of the Ogero Union announced the continuation of the strike to achieve its demands based on the outcome of the negotiations.
