Publication
Omar Shaban Ismail · وكالة معًا · 2021
In May 2021, Omar Shaban argues that Workers’ Day in Palestine offers no grounds for celebration because workers face severe unemployment, low wages, and widespread denial of labor rights. Using Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics figures, he notes 955,000 workers in Palestine, an overall unemployment rate of 26%—16% in the West Bank and 47% in Gaza—and a youth unemployment rate of 39%, rising to 54% among young graduates with diplomas or higher. He highlights average daily wages of 88 shekels, around 70,000 private-sector wage workers without contracts, and an informal workforce reaching 62%, and calls for employment policies, social security, pensions, anti-exploitation protections, health insurance, and wage adjustments.
Omar Shaban, May 2021: No grounds to celebrate Workers’ Day amid 26% unemployment and widespread labor insecurity.
On the occasion of Workers’ Day, the reality of workers in Palestine is very painful. Despite their militant role over the long decades, it is a reality that lacks the reasons for celebration. The following statistics are from the bulletin issued yesterday by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics:
The number of workers in Palestine is 955,000: 600,000 in the West Bank, 226,000 in the Gaza Strip, and 125,000 in Israel.
The overall unemployment rate for those of working age reached 26%, with 16% in the West Bank and 47% in the Gaza Strip.
The average daily wage for workers in Palestine is 88 shekels: 43 shekels in the governorates of the Gaza Strip and 104 shekels in the governorates of the West Bank.
Bethlehem Governorate records the highest unemployment rate in the West Bank at 25%, followed by the governorates of Jenin and Salfit. In the Gaza Strip, Deir al-Balah Governorate records 53%, with Rafah Governorate second. The lowest unemployment rate in the West Bank governorates is in Jerusalem Governorate at 7%, and in North Gaza Governorate at 38%.
Young people between the ages of 19 and 29 are the most affected by the unemployment crisis, with the unemployment rate among youth in this age group reaching 39%: 24% in the West Bank governorates and 67% in the Gaza governorates.
About 70,000 wage employees in the private sector work without an employment contract.
The proportion of workers in the informal sector (unregistered) and wage employees reached about 62% of the total workforce. They do not receive any labor market rights, whether end-of-service indemnity/pension, paid annual leave, or paid sick leave.
Young graduates with an educational qualification of intermediate diploma or higher are the group most affected by unemployment among youth, as the unemployment rate among them reached 54% at the national level: 36% in the West Bank and 79% in the Gaza Strip.
Workers of all categories (skilled and educated) in Palestine are in need of employment policies, social security, pensions, programs to protect against exploitation, adjustments to wage levels, health insurance, and other missing and denied rights.
Topic: Gaza Economy — Text © وكالة معًا — archived here with attribution to the source. — Original source