The Popular Committee in Nazareth Demands Justice for Employees Laid Off Under the "Recovery Plan" and Their Reinstatement

SadaNews - The popular committee in Nazareth has demanded justice for the employees who were laid off from the municipality of Nazareth as part of the recovery plan, allowing them the opportunity to return to work in the new positions announced by the municipality, instead of hiring outside agencies or appointing new employees.

This came in an official letter addressed to the head of the appointed committee in the municipality of Nazareth, protesting against the continued announcement of new tenders and jobs, despite the layoff of 226 employees under the recovery plan implemented by the municipality.

The committee pointed out that some of the new positions were advertised "even though several recently laid-off employees meet the requirements," emphasizing that these employees possess the required qualifications and have previous experience within the municipal system.

The letter stressed that meeting the job requirements is a "basic necessity" for any new employee, but it affirmed that "justice and fairness" necessitate giving priority to the laid-off employees in competing for these positions.

The committee noted that reintegrating former employees into the municipality would reduce the administrative and financial burdens associated with new hiring processes, including acceptance committees and conducting interviews.

It added that the employees who were laid off had previously undergone similar acceptance procedures and are familiar with the nature of work within the municipality and its operational mechanisms, which facilitates their reintegration into the municipal system.

The committee also warned of the social and economic repercussions of laying off employees, especially for families that rely on the income of these workers as their primary livelihood.

It affirmed that reintegrating the employees could prevent dozens of families from falling into unemployment, especially given the difficult economic conditions facing the city.

In its letter, the committee questioned the professional and administrative criteria used by the municipality to select the employees included in the layoff plan, and why there was no examination of the possibility of re-employing some of them instead of contracting external parties or opening new tenders.

It also warned that continuing the layoffs could impose additional financial burdens on the municipality, including costs for lawyers, legal proceedings, and compensations, especially in light of existing legal disputes between some employees and the municipality.

The Popular Committee emphasized that it does not oppose any administrative or financial reform plan within the municipality, but it stressed the need to manage the file "professionally, transparently, and responsibly," in a manner that preserves the rights and dignity of the workers and prevents the waste of public funds.

The committee concluded its letter by calling on the head of the appointed committee to intervene "to correct the injustice" suffered by employees who were laid off "against their will," and to work on reintegrating those who qualify for the new positions within the municipality.

Source: Arab 48