SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Employees at the general directorate of taxes and real estate in Sulaimani went on strike on Sunday in protest of salary delays in the Kurdistan Region.
“All employees have decided to stay inside the directorate, but we do not work,” an employee told Esta Media Network.
Another employee said they had not gotten paid for over 55 days.
“Most of us have not paid rent house for two months,” he told Esta Media Network. “People live in a bad condition.”
Employees said they would not end the strike until they get paid.
“Our directorate is different from the others. We have incomes and we work fully,” another employee said.
“We have decided to boycott work until we get paid,” she added.
The Kurdistan Region is facing an economic crisis due to falling of oil prices, Baghdad’s decision to halt sending salaries of the Region’s civil servants and the coronavirus pandemic.
As a large portion of the Region’s revenue relies exclusively on oil exports, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has failed to pay salaries of the months of April, May, June, July, August and September to its civil servants.
A source from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers told Esta Media Network that the government would distribute salaries this week.
“Salary distribution might start Monday or Tuesday,” said the source, who asked not to be identified.
On Oct. 7, employees at the general directorate of education in Sulaimani also went on strike due to salary delays.
The Sulaimani branch of the Kurdistan Teachers Union also went on strike on October 6.
