The agreement was signed by Khaleed Elzyood, president the General Union of Petroleum & Chemical Workers, and the management of the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company, in the presence of IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina, following international trade union support for the strike, mobilised by IndustriALL.
The new two-year collective agreement brings, on top of the 30 per cent pay increase for all workers, improvement to the retirement benefits, health and medical services for all workers and their families including pensioners.
The ministers of labour and energy, together with relevant parliamentarians, also observed the signing of the new agreement. Clearly the Jordanian government had intervened to ensure the positive settlement to the labour conflict.
The General Union of Petroleum & Chemical Workers in Jordan had spent several weeks trying to get the government to respond to the demands raised by workers representing the total workforce of Jordan's only oil refinery.
IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina, speaking from the signing ceremony stated:
Once again genuine social dialogue, supported with international solidarity, delivers a positive solution to all concerned. We celebrate this trade union victory of our Jordanian affiliate, and look forward to many more in this priority region for IndustriALL.