Bassam Zakarneh Calls on Employees to Register in the Consumer Cooperative Society to Improve Their Living Conditions and Enhance Purchasing Power

SadaNews - In light of the difficult political and economic conditions facing Palestine, Bassam Zakarneh, the head of the Consumer Cooperative Society for Public Employees, has made an official call to employees to register and participate in a new cooperative society aimed at supporting them and improving their living conditions through a sustainable economic cooperation model that allows for purchasing basic necessities at reduced prices and includes all civilian and military employees as well as retirees.

In his statement to the media, Zakarneh said: “We are facing a complex reality characterized by a decline in political and economic support for the national authority in addition to serious decisions like the Israeli Knesset's decision to annex the West Bank and the financial blockade imposed on the authority, which has led to delays or shortages in the payment of employees' salaries. Hence, there is a need for a cooperative framework to help employees face these living and economic challenges.”

Zakarneh clarified that the society is not merely a sales entity but an economic partnership project that benefits all its contributors by purchasing goods at prices 5% to 20% lower than market prices, depending on the types of goods and the commercial agreements reached with companies and suppliers.

He emphasized that joining the society is entirely voluntary and does not impose any obligations on employees, pointing out that “the employee is a true partner in this project and not just a consumer.” He also confirmed that the society does not aim to compete with the private sector but to establish partnerships with it to ensure the provision of goods and services at preferential prices for the benefit of employees.

He added: “We have preliminary agreements with a number of companies and are working to expand the cooperation network to cover the needs of employees in various sectors. We believe that cooperation and solidarity are our path to strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian employee.”

Regarding the administrative aspect, Zakarneh explained that the project enjoys full support from the government and Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, and efforts are being coordinated with the Ministry of Labor and the Minister of Labor Dr. Inas Al-Ittar to facilitate the procedures and register the society according to the law. Additionally, representatives of the union council and branches in each ministry and governorate will soon be announced to serve as the reference point for employees and their official contact with the society.