Across the United States, Unions are on the rise. Amazon workers on Staten Island vote to unionize forming its first Union at a U.S. Warehouse

Rise of Unions in America: Amazon's first Union at a U.S. Warehouse

Amazon workers voted to form a labour union in New York. The White House hailed the workers' decision to form the Union.

Amazon workers vote to form a labour union in New York, White House hails the decision

Workers in Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York City made history on Thursday by becoming Starbuck’s first unionised workplace.

New York City Starbucks employees vote for store union

European leaders lined up to chastise Warsaw on Thursday for challenging the EU's legal foundations, but Poland's premier said he would not bow to "blackmail" as he joined a summit of the bloc's 27 nations.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he was ready to resolve disputes with Brussels, though many are worried that a stubborn ideological rift between eastern and western Europe poses an existential threat to the EU itself.

"A few days ago, the legal bedrock of our Union was challenged," European Parliament President David Sassoli said in a letter as the leaders gathered in Brussels for their summit.

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"This was not for the first time, of course, nor will it be the last. But never before has the Union been called into question so radically," the leader of the EU assembly said.

Long-running tensions between Poland's ruling nationalists and the bloc's liberal majority have spiked since Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled this month that elements of EU law were incompatible with the country's charter, challenging a central tenet of EU integration.

The dispute not only risks precipitating a new fundamental crisis for the bloc, which is still grappling with the aftermath of Brexit. It could deprive Poland of generous EU handouts.

'Clubs Have Rules'

"Some European institutions assume the right to decide on matters that have not been assigned to them," Morawiecki said as he went into the talks, which come two days after the executive European Commission threatened to take action against Warsaw.

"We will not act under the pressure of blackmail&nbsp;but we will of course talk about how to resolve the current disputes in dialogue."

His wealthier Western counterparts are particularly keen to prevent their governments' cash contributions to the EU benefiting socially conservative politicians who they see as undercutting human rights fixed in European laws.

"If you want to have the advantages of being in a club&nbsp;then you need to respect the rules," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said. "You can't be a member of a club and say 'The rules don't apply to me'."

Leaders of countries from Ireland to France urged Warsaw to come back in line. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, referring to Poland's judicial overhaul that puts its courts under more government control, said it was difficult to see how new EU funding could be channelled to the eastern European country, adding: "We have to be tough".

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An EU official said Rutte stood firm when the matter was discussed at the summit, but most leaders said decisions on how to deal with Poland should be left to the European Commission.

Morawiecki's Law and Justice (PiS) party has raised the stakes in years of increasingly bitter feuds with the EU over a range of democratic principles, from the freedom of courts and media to the rights of women, migrants and LGBT people.

The Commission has for now barred Warsaw from tapping into the 36 billion euros of grants and loans it requested from EU funds to help its economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The top EU court may also slap more fines on Poland, the largest ex-communist EU country of 38 million people.

For the bloc, the latest twist in feuds with the eurosceptic PiS also comes at a sensitive time. The EU last year made a leap towards closer integration by agreeing on joint borrowing to raise 750 billion euros for post-pandemic economic recovery, overcoming stiff resistance from wealthy northern states.

No 'Polexit'

Morawiecki has dismissed the idea of "Polexit" - leaving the bloc - and popular support for membership remains at 88 per cent&nbsp;in Poland, which has benefited enormously from EU funding since it joined in 2004.

But Warsaw, backed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, wants to return powers to national capitals and has lashed out at what it says are excessive powers of the European Commission.

"Poland is one of the best European countries. There is no need for any sanctions, it's ridiculous," Orban said.

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While many have grown increasingly frustrated at failed attempts to convince Warsaw to change tack, outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against isolating Poland.

"We have to find ways of coming back together," she said, adding that bringing multiple cases against Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union was no solution.

Her sway, however, is weakened as the veteran of more than 100 summits during her 16 years in power visits Brussels for what may be her last gathering of EU leaders before she hands over to a new German chancellor.

European leaders lined up to chastise Warsaw on Thursday for challenging the EU's legal foundations, but Poland's premier said he would not bow to "blackmail" as he joined a summit of the bloc's 27 nations.

European leaders lined up to chastise Warsaw on Thursday for challenging the EU's legal foundations, but Poland's premier said he would not bow to "blackmail" as he joined a summit of the bloc's 27 nations. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he was ready to resolve disputes with Brussels, though many are worried that a stubborn ideological rift between eastern and western Europe poses an existential threat to the EU itself. "A few days ago, the legal bedrock of our Union was challenged," European Parliament President David Sassoli said in a letter as the leaders gathered in Brussels for their summit. Also Read | EU-Poland spat: Polish PM accuses EU of 'blackmail' "This was not for the first time, of course, nor will it be the last. But never before has the Union been called into question so radically," the leader of the EU assembly said. Long-running tensions between Poland's ruling nationalists and the bloc's liberal majority have spiked since Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled this month that elements of EU law were incompatible with the country's charter, challenging a central tenet of EU integration. The dispute not only risks precipitating a new fundamental crisis for the bloc, which is still grappling with the aftermath of Brexit. It could deprive Poland of generous EU handouts. 'Clubs Have Rules' "Some European institutions assume the right to decide on matters that have not been assigned to them," Morawiecki said as he went into the talks, which come two days after the executive European Commission threatened to take action against Warsaw. "We will not act under the pressure of blackmail but we will of course talk about how to resolve the current disputes in dialogue." His wealthier Western counterparts are particularly keen to prevent their governments' cash contributions to the EU benefiting socially conservative politicians who they see as undercutting human rights fixed in European laws. "If you want to have the advantages of being in a club then you need to respect the rules," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said. "You can't be a member of a club and say 'The rules don't apply to me'." Leaders of countries from Ireland to France urged Warsaw to come back in line. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, referring to Poland's judicial overhaul that puts its courts under more government control, said it was difficult to see how new EU funding could be channelled to the eastern European country, adding: "We have to be tough". Also Read | China poses serious political, economic, security, technological challenges to EU An EU official said Rutte stood firm when the matter was discussed at the summit, but most leaders said decisions on how to deal with Poland should be left to the European Commission. Morawiecki's Law and Justice (PiS) party has raised the stakes in years of increasingly bitter feuds with the EU over a range of democratic principles, from the freedom of courts and media to the rights of women, migrants and LGBT people. The Commission has for now barred Warsaw from tapping into the 36 billion euros of grants and loans it requested from EU funds to help its economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The top EU court may also slap more fines on Poland, the largest ex-communist EU country of 38 million people. For the bloc, the latest twist in feuds with the eurosceptic PiS also comes at a sensitive time. The EU last year made a leap towards closer integration by agreeing on joint borrowing to raise 750 billion euros for post-pandemic economic recovery, overcoming stiff resistance from wealthy northern states. No 'Polexit' Morawiecki has dismissed the idea of "Polexit" - leaving the bloc - and popular support for membership remains at 88 per cent in Poland, which has benefited enormously from EU funding since it joined in 2004. But Warsaw, backed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, wants to return powers to national capitals and has lashed out at what it says are excessive powers of the European Commission. "Poland is one of the best European countries. There is no need for any sanctions, it's ridiculous," Orban said. Also Read | EU passes resolution seeking deeper ties with Taiwan; China slams move While many have grown increasingly frustrated at failed attempts to convince Warsaw to change tack, outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against isolating Poland. "We have to find ways of coming back together," she said, adding that bringing multiple cases against Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union was no solution. Her sway, however, is weakened as the veteran of more than 100 summits during her 16 years in power visits Brussels for what may be her last gathering of EU leaders before she hands over to a new German chancellor.

EU leaders lambast Poland over its challenge to union

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. 
 
Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US&nbsp;tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions. 
 
"The workers in the mail order centres have to cope with the rush of customers and don't get a cent more for the additionally intensified workload," said Verdi representative Orhan Akman in a statement. 
 
Germany is Amazon's biggest market after the United States, and the Verdi union has been organising strikes at Amazon in the country since 2013 to protest low pay and poor conditions. 
 
An Amazon spokesperson said the company offers excellent pay and benefits. It has said during past calls for strikes over 90% of employees in the logistic centres worked as normal. 
 
Earlier this month, Amazon said it will guarantee an entry-level wage at its German warehouses of 12 euros ($14.25) an hour from July, which will rise to at least 12.50 euros per hour from autumn 2022. 
 
Amazon holds Prime Day to boost summer sales. The member-only discounts are an important way Amazon markets Prime, a fast-shipping and media-streaming service that incentivises subscribers to do more shopping on Amazon. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions.

A German trade union called on workers at seven Amazon warehouses to go on strike on Monday for several days to coincide with the global Prime Day promotion. Verdi said it was organising the three-day strike as part of a long-running battle with the US tech giant in Germany over better pay and working conditions. "The workers in the mail order centres have to cope with the rush of customers and don't get a cent more for the additionally intensified workload," said Verdi representative Orhan Akman in a statement. Germany is Amazon's biggest market after the United States, and the Verdi union has been organising strikes at Amazon in the country since 2013 to protest low pay and poor conditions. An Amazon spokesperson said the company offers excellent pay and benefits. It has said during past calls for strikes over 90% of employees in the logistic centres worked as normal. Earlier this month, Amazon said it will guarantee an entry-level wage at its German warehouses of 12 euros ($14.25) an hour from July, which will rise to at least 12.50 euros per hour from autumn 2022. Amazon holds Prime Day to boost summer sales. The member-only discounts are an important way Amazon markets Prime, a fast-shipping and media-streaming service that incentivises subscribers to do more shopping on Amazon. (With inputs from agencies)

German union calls for Amazon workers to strike on 'Prime Day'

Lebanon's farmers union described as 'arbitrary and unjust' the decision by Saudi Arabia to ban Lebanese produce from going through the kingdom over drug smuggling allegations, calling on Saturday for it be repealed.&nbsp;

The ban, ordered by the kingdom's Interior Ministry and due to take effect on Sunday, is a major blow to the Lebanese economy, already reeling from an unprecedented economic crisis.&nbsp;

It came after Saudi Arabia announced on Friday, it has seized over 5 million pills of an amphetamine drug known as Captagon, hidden in a shipment of pomegranate coming from Lebanon. The official Saudi Press Agency said four Saudis and one displaced it did not identify were arrested.&nbsp;

On Saturday, Lebanon's President Michel Aoun called for a meeting next week with Cabinet members, security officials, farmers and exporters to discuss the Saudi decision and its implications.&nbsp;

Lebanon's Foreign Ministry on Friday said smuggling of drugs is harmful to the country's reputation and economy. It called on Lebanese customs duty authorities to increase checks and inspections of shipments leaving the small Mediterranean country.&nbsp;

But in a statement on Sunday, Lebanon's Farmers Union called on the kingdom to repeal its decision. It said the mistake of one person or a criminal gang should not be the reason to punish the entire Lebanese people.&nbsp;

Agricultural exports are a major foreign currency earner for Lebanon. Arab countries are Lebanon's main export markets for agricultural products, accounting for nearly 80% of over $190 million of total exports in 2019, where Saudi Arabia had more than 20% of the share, followed by Qatar.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia's decision showed 'political maliciousness’, and contradicts the kingdom's claims that it protects Lebanon's interests, the statement added. The farmers union accused Saudi Arabia of participating in a policy to besiege Lebanon and change its alliance.&nbsp;

While Saudi Arabia has been a major Lebanon supporter, the kingdom has also been locked in a regional struggle with Iran, the main ally of the powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Tension between the two regional powerhouses have often spilled into a deadlock in decision-making in Lebanese politics. Saudi Arabia is among Gulf countries that imposed sanctions on Hezbollah.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, other officials denied the smuggling was done by Lebanese. The head of the farmers' union in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa valley said the pomegranate shipment was coming from Syria, passing transit through Lebanese port.&nbsp;

Lebanon's farmers union described as 'arbitrary and unjust' the decision by Saudi Arabia to ban Lebanese produce from going through the kingdom over drug smuggling allegations, calling on Saturday for it be repealed.

Lebanon's farmers union described as 'arbitrary and unjust' the decision by Saudi Arabia to ban Lebanese produce from going through the kingdom over drug smuggling allegations, calling on Saturday for it be repealed. The ban, ordered by the kingdom's Interior Ministry and due to take effect on Sunday, is a major blow to the Lebanese economy, already reeling from an unprecedented economic crisis. It came after Saudi Arabia announced on Friday, it has seized over 5 million pills of an amphetamine drug known as Captagon, hidden in a shipment of pomegranate coming from Lebanon. The official Saudi Press Agency said four Saudis and one displaced it did not identify were arrested. On Saturday, Lebanon's President Michel Aoun called for a meeting next week with Cabinet members, security officials, farmers and exporters to discuss the Saudi decision and its implications. Lebanon's Foreign Ministry on Friday said smuggling of drugs is harmful to the country's reputation and economy. It called on Lebanese customs duty authorities to increase checks and inspections of shipments leaving the small Mediterranean country. But in a statement on Sunday, Lebanon's Farmers Union called on the kingdom to repeal its decision. It said the mistake of one person or a criminal gang should not be the reason to punish the entire Lebanese people. Agricultural exports are a major foreign currency earner for Lebanon. Arab countries are Lebanon's main export markets for agricultural products, accounting for nearly 80% of over $190 million of total exports in 2019, where Saudi Arabia had more than 20% of the share, followed by Qatar. Saudi Arabia's decision showed 'political maliciousness’, and contradicts the kingdom's claims that it protects Lebanon's interests, the statement added. The farmers union accused Saudi Arabia of participating in a policy to besiege Lebanon and change its alliance. While Saudi Arabia has been a major Lebanon supporter, the kingdom has also been locked in a regional struggle with Iran, the main ally of the powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Tension between the two regional powerhouses have often spilled into a deadlock in decision-making in Lebanese politics. Saudi Arabia is among Gulf countries that imposed sanctions on Hezbollah. Meanwhile, other officials denied the smuggling was done by Lebanese. The head of the farmers' union in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa valley said the pomegranate shipment was coming from Syria, passing transit through Lebanese port.

Lebanon farmers union calls on Saudi to repeal produce ban 

Retail giant Amazon Inc. is about to determine whether the workers at its Alabama warehouse will become the first in the US to join a retail union.

The court, which halted the count at 7 pm EST on Thursday, is due to restart the count on Friday. Till now, Amazon was ahead with 1,100 nos in comparison to 463 yeses.

On Friday, the federal officers will resume the count with nearly half of the 3,215 ballots left to count.

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Meanwhile, Amazon has telegraphed its intentions to appeal the result.

“Our system is broken, Amazon took full advantage of that, and we will be calling on the labor board to hold Amazon accountable for its illegal and egregious behavior during the campaign,” RWDSU president, Stuart Appelbaum, said.

“But make no mistake about it; this still represents an important moment for working people and their voices will be heard.”

The RWDS has also accused Amazon of “corrupting the election” by pressurising the USPS to install a mailbox on the Amazon property, making the employees cast the ballot on the Amazon premises instead of someplace with more free surveillance. The group cited the documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act request to make this accusation

Retail giant Amazon Inc. is about to determine whether the workers at its Alabama warehouse will become the first in the US to join a retail union. The court, which halted the count at 7 pm EST on Thursday, is due to restart the count on Friday.

Retail giant Amazon Inc. is about to determine whether the workers at its Alabama warehouse will become the first in the US to join a retail union. The court, which halted the count at 7 pm EST on Thursday, is due to restart the count on Friday. Till now, Amazon was ahead with 1,100 nos in comparison to 463 yeses. On Friday, the federal officers will resume the count with nearly half of the 3,215 ballots left to count. Also read | Amazon's Jeff Bezos supports Biden's tax increase on US corporates Meanwhile, Amazon has telegraphed its intentions to appeal the result. “Our system is broken, Amazon took full advantage of that, and we will be calling on the labor board to hold Amazon accountable for its illegal and egregious behavior during the campaign,” RWDSU president, Stuart Appelbaum, said. “But make no mistake about it; this still represents an important moment for working people and their voices will be heard.” The RWDS has also accused Amazon of “corrupting the election” by pressurising the USPS to install a mailbox on the Amazon property, making the employees cast the ballot on the Amazon premises instead of someplace with more free surveillance. The group cited the documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act request to make this accusation

Amazon leads union election by 2-1; count to resume on Friday

With a nationwide movement of rolling strikes and protests having started to tail off as it enters a second week, unions were hoping for a new jolt to regain momentum by bringing hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-paris-police-deployed-over-yellow-vest-clash-fears-250913">demonstrators</a> back out onto the street.

Former investment banker Macron has said he wants to streamline the Byzantine <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-prime-minister-defies-unions-with-pension-overhaul-267718">state pension system</a> with its tangle of special privileges, and use incentives to prod people to work until 64, instead of the average retirement age now of 62.

Eight of Paris' 14 metro lines were closed and the rest had a limited service, apart from two lines that run automated trains. Suburban commuter trains were heavily disrupted. Roads were thick with pedestrians and the streets crammed with bicycles and electric scooters as people tried to get to work.

The unions and Macron are each hoping to push the other to back down before Christmas, with the prospect that continuing strikes over the holiday would alienate an increasingly frustrated public.

"It wasn't me that started the pension reform, but I feel like I've been taken hostage. It's frustration turning to annoyance," said Johan Boyet, caught in the morning commute on Paris's central Boulevard Haussmann.

The state railway operator, SNCF, urged travellers not to show up at stations hoping to travel, with 80 percent of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-trains-disrupted-by-wildcat-strike-257097"> trains out of action</a> in the region around Paris. At some stations in the past two weeks, police and security guards had to stop commuters trying to fight their way onto overcrowded trains.

"Passengers are tired, our employees who aren't striking are tired," the head of SNCF in the Paris region, Alain Krakovitch told BFM TV. "My responsibility is to spread the word to avoid putting passengers in an unsafe situation."

Morning traffic queues in the Paris area totalled 300 km, though congestion subsided to normal by the end of the morning rush, with many workers having set off early or stayed home.

Numbers turning out for protests have waned since the start of the standoff but unions forecast a big turnout on Tuesday, with all the major unions taking part in the same demonstration for the first time.

Opponents of the pension reform have been buoyed by the departure of the government's pension reform tsar, Jean-Paul <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/day-5-of-public-transport-chaos-as-french-strike-bites-267076">Delevoye</a>. He stepped down on Monday after it emerged he had failed to publicly declare more than a dozen posts he held in addition to his main job.

The unions are seeking to make a major show of force on Tuesday, because as Christmas approaches, the risk increases that the strikes could backfire. Strikes have already disrupted Christmas shopping.

A survey by pollster Ifop published on Monday in the Figaro newspaper showed that 55% of people believed it was unacceptable for the strikes to continue over the holiday.

With a nationwide movement of rolling strikes and protests having started to tail off as it enters a second week, unions were hoping for a new jolt to regain momentum by bringing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators back out onto the street.

With a nationwide movement of rolling strikes and protests having started to tail off as it enters a second week, unions were hoping for a new jolt to regain momentum by bringing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators back out onto the street. Former investment banker Macron has said he wants to streamline the Byzantine state pension system with its tangle of special privileges, and use incentives to prod people to work until 64, instead of the average retirement age now of 62. Eight of Paris' 14 metro lines were closed and the rest had a limited service, apart from two lines that run automated trains. Suburban commuter trains were heavily disrupted. Roads were thick with pedestrians and the streets crammed with bicycles and electric scooters as people tried to get to work. The unions and Macron are each hoping to push the other to back down before Christmas, with the prospect that continuing strikes over the holiday would alienate an increasingly frustrated public. "It wasn't me that started the pension reform, but I feel like I've been taken hostage. It's frustration turning to annoyance," said Johan Boyet, caught in the morning commute on Paris's central Boulevard Haussmann. The state railway operator, SNCF, urged travellers not to show up at stations hoping to travel, with 80 percent of trains out of action in the region around Paris. At some stations in the past two weeks, police and security guards had to stop commuters trying to fight their way onto overcrowded trains. "Passengers are tired, our employees who aren't striking are tired," the head of SNCF in the Paris region, Alain Krakovitch told BFM TV. "My responsibility is to spread the word to avoid putting passengers in an unsafe situation." Morning traffic queues in the Paris area totalled 300 km, though congestion subsided to normal by the end of the morning rush, with many workers having set off early or stayed home. Numbers turning out for protests have waned since the start of the standoff but unions forecast a big turnout on Tuesday, with all the major unions taking part in the same demonstration for the first time. Opponents of the pension reform have been buoyed by the departure of the government's pension reform tsar, Jean-Paul Delevoye. He stepped down on Monday after it emerged he had failed to publicly declare more than a dozen posts he held in addition to his main job. The unions are seeking to make a major show of force on Tuesday, because as Christmas approaches, the risk increases that the strikes could backfire. Strikes have already disrupted Christmas shopping. A survey by pollster Ifop published on Monday in the Figaro newspaper showed that 55% of people believed it was unacceptable for the strikes to continue over the holiday.

Strikes, protests as French unions seek momentum to halt pension reform

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-summons-israeli-envoy-over-temple-mount-violations-243956">Jordan's government</a> said on Sunday it has reached a pay deal with the teachers union to end a one-month strike, the country's longest public sector strike that disrupted schooling for more than 1.5 million students.

The deal came after the strike threatened a deepening political crisis when the government last week began legal steps against the unions after they rejected pay hikes they said were "bread crumbs" and the government said it could not afford to give more.

The pay deal will see salaries rise by 35 per cent&nbsp;to 60 per cent&nbsp;from next year. It comes after weeks of deadlock with the government intransigent over meeting an original 50 per cent&nbsp;pay rise demanded by the unions that it said would strain the heavily indebted country's finances.

Officials said that King Abdullah had ordered the government to reach the hefty wage deal which tests the ability of Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz to stay on track in implementing tough fiscal reforms backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at reducing a record $40 billion public debt.

The government fears new pay demands by other public sector employees, including doctors, and pension increases for retired soldiers would wreck efforts to restore fiscal prudence needed for a sustained economic recovery.

Dozens of activists from the powerful teachers union, whose members succeeded in forcing the government to agree to substantial pay hikes after a four-week standoff, celebrated in front of their headquarters in Amman.

"The teachers got their demands," said Nasser Al Nawasrah, deputy head of the Jordanian Teachers Syndicate. He called on his organisation's 100,000 members to immediately resume teaching pupils in around 4,000 state schools that had been affected by the strike.

Tens of thousands of pupils headed to state school across the country on Sunday for the first time since September&nbsp;5. The unions announced the strike after the authorities used tear gas to disperse thousands of teachers who had congregated to press for the wage demands near government headquarters.

Many parents had kept their children at home out of solidarity with the striking teachers.

In many of the country's rural areas and smaller cities, traditional heartlands of support for the monarchy, the strike also became a protest against successive governments' failure to deliver on promises of economic growth.

Growing disenchantment among ordinary Jordanians over tough IMF austerity measures and high taxes spilled into large street protests in the summer of 2018 that railed against corruption and mismanagement of public funds.

Economists and experts said the teachers' strike exposed popular anger with deep disparities within a bloated public sector that has in the last two decades expanded rapidly as successive governments sought to appease Jordanians with state jobs to maintain stability.

The teachers, whose average salary is around&nbsp;$630&nbsp;per month, said they have fallen behind others in many government ministries and state agencies plagued by graft and nepotism.

The IMF and Western donors said salaries and pensions eat up much of the government's $13 billion budget in a country with some of the world's highest government spending relative to its economy.

Jordan's government said on Sunday it has reached a pay deal with the teachers union to end a one-month strike, the country's longest public sector strike that disrupted schooling for more than 1.

Jordan's government said on Sunday it has reached a pay deal with the teachers union to end a one-month strike, the country's longest public sector strike that disrupted schooling for more than 1.5 million students. The deal came after the strike threatened a deepening political crisis when the government last week began legal steps against the unions after they rejected pay hikes they said were "bread crumbs" and the government said it could not afford to give more. The pay deal will see salaries rise by 35 per cent to 60 per cent from next year. It comes after weeks of deadlock with the government intransigent over meeting an original 50 per cent pay rise demanded by the unions that it said would strain the heavily indebted country's finances. Officials said that King Abdullah had ordered the government to reach the hefty wage deal which tests the ability of Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz to stay on track in implementing tough fiscal reforms backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at reducing a record $40 billion public debt. The government fears new pay demands by other public sector employees, including doctors, and pension increases for retired soldiers would wreck efforts to restore fiscal prudence needed for a sustained economic recovery. Dozens of activists from the powerful teachers union, whose members succeeded in forcing the government to agree to substantial pay hikes after a four-week standoff, celebrated in front of their headquarters in Amman. "The teachers got their demands," said Nasser Al Nawasrah, deputy head of the Jordanian Teachers Syndicate. He called on his organisation's 100,000 members to immediately resume teaching pupils in around 4,000 state schools that had been affected by the strike. Tens of thousands of pupils headed to state school across the country on Sunday for the first time since September 5. The unions announced the strike after the authorities used tear gas to disperse thousands of teachers who had congregated to press for the wage demands near government headquarters. Many parents had kept their children at home out of solidarity with the striking teachers. In many of the country's rural areas and smaller cities, traditional heartlands of support for the monarchy, the strike also became a protest against successive governments' failure to deliver on promises of economic growth. Growing disenchantment among ordinary Jordanians over tough IMF austerity measures and high taxes spilled into large street protests in the summer of 2018 that railed against corruption and mismanagement of public funds. Economists and experts said the teachers' strike exposed popular anger with deep disparities within a bloated public sector that has in the last two decades expanded rapidly as successive governments sought to appease Jordanians with state jobs to maintain stability. The teachers, whose average salary is around $630 per month, said they have fallen behind others in many government ministries and state agencies plagued by graft and nepotism. The IMF and Western donors said salaries and pensions eat up much of the government's $13 billion budget in a country with some of the world's highest government spending relative to its economy.

Jordan reaches deal with teachers union to end one-month strike

In what should come as a relief to railway passengers frustrated by delays in services, trains are now likely to run on time as any deviation from the schedule will cost officials of the national transporter their promotions.

Railway minister Piyush Goyal has warned heads of zonal railways that delays in train services will defer their appraisal proportionately, giving them a month to improve punctuality.

During an internal meeting last week, Goyal lashed out at zonal general managers and said that they cannot hide behind the pretext of maintenance work to explain delays in train services, a senior railway ministry source said.

In 2017-2018 fiscal, 30 per cent trains were running late on the railway network, with the numbers failing to pick up even during the holiday season this summer.

The General Manager (GM) of Northern Railway bore the brunt of Goyal's wrath, with the region recording an abysmal 49.59 per cent punctuality performance till May 29, a 32.74 per cent dip compared to the same period last year.

"While the minister has taken a lot of flak for the delays, he knew it was a price he had to pay for the large-scale renewal of tracks. However, the punctuality figures are way worse than what we had expected. Clearly, the zones are using maintenance work as an excuse to hide their inefficiency," the source said.

During the meeting, the minister called out every zonal head individually and asked them to explain the poor punctuality figures, the source said.

Goyal, who faced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's queries on punctuality of trains at the Pragati meeting last month, was particularly harsh on the Northern Railways chief as the zone was placed lowest on the punctuality index.

It was followed closely by the Northeast Frontier Railway and the Eastern Railway - which recorded 27 per cent and 26 per cent plunge respectively.&nbsp;

Goyal quoted reports to explain how misusing resources have led to delays. He recalled a recent incident when engineers apparently wasted Rs 25 lakh in a failed attempt to replace a girder at Nizamuddin railway station in New Delhi.

"The minister demanded accountability from the GMs and said such wasteful blocks should not be taken. He was aghast that such unnecessary delays were happening during the holiday season when trains are in high demand," the source said.

"He has now made it clear that by June 30, if he doesn't see improvement, the respective GMs will not be considered for promotion. He also said that their performance ratings will depend on where they figure on the delay list. The lower they are, the worse for them," the source, who was present during the meeting, said.&nbsp;

Railway minister Piyush Goyal has warned heads of zonal railways that delays in train services will defer their appraisal proportionately, giving them a month to improve punctuality.

In what should come as a relief to railway passengers frustrated by delays in services, trains are now likely to run on time as any deviation from the schedule will cost officials of the national transporter their promotions. Railway minister Piyush Goyal has warned heads of zonal railways that delays in train services will defer their appraisal proportionately, giving them a month to improve punctuality. During an internal meeting last week, Goyal lashed out at zonal general managers and said that they cannot hide behind the pretext of maintenance work to explain delays in train services, a senior railway ministry source said. In 2017-2018 fiscal, 30 per cent trains were running late on the railway network, with the numbers failing to pick up even during the holiday season this summer. The General Manager (GM) of Northern Railway bore the brunt of Goyal's wrath, with the region recording an abysmal 49.59 per cent punctuality performance till May 29, a 32.74 per cent dip compared to the same period last year. "While the minister has taken a lot of flak for the delays, he knew it was a price he had to pay for the large-scale renewal of tracks. However, the punctuality figures are way worse than what we had expected. Clearly, the zones are using maintenance work as an excuse to hide their inefficiency," the source said. During the meeting, the minister called out every zonal head individually and asked them to explain the poor punctuality figures, the source said. Goyal, who faced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's queries on punctuality of trains at the Pragati meeting last month, was particularly harsh on the Northern Railways chief as the zone was placed lowest on the punctuality index. It was followed closely by the Northeast Frontier Railway and the Eastern Railway - which recorded 27 per cent and 26 per cent plunge respectively. Goyal quoted reports to explain how misusing resources have led to delays. He recalled a recent incident when engineers apparently wasted Rs 25 lakh in a failed attempt to replace a girder at Nizamuddin railway station in New Delhi. "The minister demanded accountability from the GMs and said such wasteful blocks should not be taken. He was aghast that such unnecessary delays were happening during the holiday season when trains are in high demand," the source said. "He has now made it clear that by June 30, if he doesn't see improvement, the respective GMs will not be considered for promotion. He also said that their performance ratings will depend on where they figure on the delay list. The lower they are, the worse for them," the source, who was present during the meeting, said.

Train delays to cost officials their promotions: Union Railway Minister

The Government of India has made several changes in its Annual Financial Statement, commonly referred to as budget. Some of these changes are:

<ul>
	<li>Omission of plan and non-plan expenditure</li>
	<li>No separate Railway budget</li>
	<li>The budget in the Indian Parliament may be tabled earlier than before</li>
</ul>

What does each one of them mean? 
 
The budget is represented under two accounts: revenue account and capital account. The revenue account means day to day running of the various government departments and services, interest payments etc. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/budget_slide_1-20160922112651.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
 
Capital account involves long-term investments such as machinery, plants, etc.
</div>

 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/budget_slide_3-20160922113120.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
&nbsp;
</div>

Till this year&rsquo;s budget, revenue expenditure and capital expenditure were further divided into plan expenditure and non-plan expenditure. 
 
Plan expenditure: means the expenditure done under the five year plans, that is decided beforehand during the planning process. 
 
Non-plan expenditure: means expenditure that lies outside the plan and for which no provision can be made as it is largely unforeseen, unpredictable and contingent on circumstances.&nbsp; E.g. expenditure on repairs and maintenance of assets, unfinished schemes, defence, law and order, etc. 
 
From next year, the expenditure under both the accounts will not be divided into plan and non-plan as the premier economic planning institution, Planning Commission of India, no longer exists. It has been replaced by NITI Aayog, a think tank. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/budget_slide_2-20160922112918.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
 
From next year, the expenditure under revenue account and capital account will not be divided into plan and non-plan.
</div>

The 12th five year plan will end in 2017 and after that, there will be no five year plans, thus redefining the Indian Economy textbooks. 
&nbsp; 
If not five year plans, then what? &nbsp; 
 
The NITI Aayog will be preparing a 15-year vision document aligned with the country&rsquo;s social goals and sustainable development targets. The first 15-year vision document will start from 2017-18. Aayog will also prepare a seven-year National Development Agenda which will lay down the schemes, programmes and strategies to be reviewed after every three years. 
 
The vision document is similar to the Directive Principles of the State Policy of the Constitution, guiding where India should be heading but not enforceable by law. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;At the same time, one should be looking at the documents laid before Parliament under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003:

<ul>
	<li>Medium term fiscal policy statement: It sets out three-year rolling targets for four specific fiscal&nbsp;indicators in relation to GDP, namely (i) revenue deficit, (ii) fiscal deficit, (iii) tax to GDP&nbsp;ratio and (iv) total outstanding debt at the end of the year.</li>
	<li>Fiscal policy strategy statement: It outlines the strategic priorities of the government in the fiscal area for the&nbsp;ensuing financial year relating to taxation, expenditure, lending and investments, administered pricing,&nbsp;borrowings and guarantees. The statement explains how the current policies are in conformity with sound&nbsp;fiscal management principles and gives the rationale for any major deviation in key fiscal measures.</li>
	<li>Macro-economic framework statement: It contains assessment regarding&nbsp;the GDP growth rate, fiscal balance of the Indian government and the external sector balance of the economy.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;Concerns with merger of railway budget with general budget 
 
The proposal to merge the two budgets was given by the Bibek Debroy Committee at NITI Aayog. It is said that after the merger, Indian Railways will save around $1.5 billion every year by not paying the dividend it has to pay for gross budgetary support from the Indian government. 
 
Indian economist Bibek Debroy, in an interview, has raised four concerns regarding this merger that still need to be addressed by the railway ministry and finance ministry:

<ul>
	<li>What happens to dividends? Dividends i.e. corporate dividends is actually a repayment of debt that the Indian government extends to the railways in perpetuity and only the interest gets repaid, the principal is never extinguished.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What happens to the existing debt? Does that continue or not?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What happens to the gross budgetary support? In what form will it be extended now?</li>
	<li>What happens to the windows that the railways has for borrowing? Right now, the railways borrows through Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC).</li>
</ul>

&nbsp; 
Why does the budget needs to be presented earlier than usual? 
 
At present, the budget is presented on 28th February every year. The budget session of Parliament is divided into two parts: the first is held between last week of February to middle of March and the second session is held from last week of April to middle of May. 
 
Usually, the budget gets passed in the second part of the session. After that, the country experiences monsoon season for 3 to 4 months hampering the infrastructure spending. 
 
Also, unlike India, most countries around the world have their fiscal year as the calendar year. 
 
With the Goods and Services tax scheduled to be rolled out next year, it is not certain whether the Indian government would table its Annual Financial Statement on a different date.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Government of India has made several changes in its Annual Financial Statement, commonly referred to as budget

The Government of India has made several changes in its Annual Financial Statement, commonly referred to as budget. Some of these changes are: Omission of plan and non-plan expenditure No separate Railway budget The budget in the Indian Parliament may be tabled earlier than before What does each one of them mean? The budget is represented under two accounts: revenue account and capital account. The revenue account means day to day running of the various government departments and services, interest payments etc. Capital account involves long-term investments such as machinery, plants, etc. Till this year’s budget, revenue expenditure and capital expenditure were further divided into plan expenditure and non-plan expenditure. Plan expenditure: means the expenditure done under the five year plans, that is decided beforehand during the planning process. Non-plan expenditure: means expenditure that lies outside the plan and for which no provision can be made as it is largely unforeseen, unpredictable and contingent on circumstances. E.g. expenditure on repairs and maintenance of assets, unfinished schemes, defence, law and order, etc. From next year, the expenditure under both the accounts will not be divided into plan and non-plan as the premier economic planning institution, Planning Commission of India, no longer exists. It has been replaced by NITI Aayog, a think tank. From next year, the expenditure under revenue account and capital account will not be divided into plan and non-plan. The 12th five year plan will end in 2017 and after that, there will be no five year plans, thus redefining the Indian Economy textbooks. If not five year plans, then what? The NITI Aayog will be preparing a 15-year vision document aligned with the country’s social goals and sustainable development targets. The first 15-year vision document will start from 2017-18. Aayog will also prepare a seven-year National Development Agenda which will lay down the schemes, programmes and strategies to be reviewed after every three years. The vision document is similar to the Directive Principles of the State Policy of the Constitution, guiding where India should be heading but not enforceable by law. At the same time, one should be looking at the documents laid before Parliament under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003: Medium term fiscal policy statement: It sets out three-year rolling targets for four specific fiscal indicators in relation to GDP, namely (i) revenue deficit, (ii) fiscal deficit, (iii) tax to GDP ratio and (iv) total outstanding debt at the end of the year. Fiscal policy strategy statement: It outlines the strategic priorities of the government in the fiscal area for the ensuing financial year relating to taxation, expenditure, lending and investments, administered pricing, borrowings and guarantees. The statement explains how the current policies are in conformity with sound fiscal management principles and gives the rationale for any major deviation in key fiscal measures. Macro-economic framework statement: It contains assessment regarding the GDP growth rate, fiscal balance of the Indian government and the external sector balance of the economy. Concerns with merger of railway budget with general budget The proposal to merge the two budgets was given by the Bibek Debroy Committee at NITI Aayog. It is said that after the merger, Indian Railways will save around $1.5 billion every year by not paying the dividend it has to pay for gross budgetary support from the Indian government. Indian economist Bibek Debroy, in an interview, has raised four concerns regarding this merger that still need to be addressed by the railway ministry and finance ministry: What happens to dividends? Dividends i.e. corporate dividends is actually a repayment of debt that the Indian government extends to the railways in perpetuity and only the interest gets repaid, the principal is never extinguished. What happens to the existing debt? Does that continue or not? What happens to the gross budgetary support? In what form will it be extended now? What happens to the windows that the railways has for borrowing? Right now, the railways borrows through Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC). Why does the budget needs to be presented earlier than usual? At present, the budget is presented on 28th February every year. The budget session of Parliament is divided into two parts: the first is held between last week of February to middle of March and the second session is held from last week of April to middle of May. Usually, the budget gets passed in the second part of the session. After that, the country experiences monsoon season for 3 to 4 months hampering the infrastructure spending. Also, unlike India, most countries around the world have their fiscal year as the calendar year. With the Goods and Services tax scheduled to be rolled out next year, it is not certain whether the Indian government would table its Annual Financial Statement on a different date.

Merger of Rail Budget with Union Budget and more: What it means for India

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) have given a call for demonstration against the problems that various banks and their employees are facing due to demonetisation.

The agitational programmes that they plan to undertake include demonstrations on December 28, followed by the unions addressing a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on December 29, the two bank unions said. The union members also plan to demonstrate over the issue on January 2 and 3, 2017.

AIBEA general secretary C H Venkatchalam and his AIBOA counterpart S Nagrajan in a statement issued today said, &quot;As per the call of our organisations, already our units have undertaken the programme of demonstrations in all major centres and met the local executives of RBI to hand over our memorandum&quot;.

The unions have demanded to ensure supply of adequate cash to all banks and branches, restore all ATMs without further delay and ensure transparency in cash supply to banks.

&quot;If RBI is not able to supply adequate cash to banks, then decision should be taken to suspend cash transactions in the bank branches till sufficient cash is supplied to banks,&quot; the statement said.

They also demanded CBI inquiry into the cases of seizure of huge number of new currency notes with some big persons when the bank branches are cash starved. The unions also demanded compensation to the families of the persons and bank staff who lost their lives recently due to the demonetisation.

The statement asked RBI and state governments to ensure safety and protection of bank employees and officers by maintaining law and order in all branches to prevent harassment of the staff.

They also want proper compensation to employees and officers for their extra work/late sittings done since November 8. Both the unions claim to have over 5.50 lakh members out of the nearly 9 lakh bank employees in the country.

(PTI)

Bank unions have called for demonstrations against the problems that various banks and their employees are facing due to demonetisation.

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) have given a call for demonstration against the problems that various banks and their employees are facing due to demonetisation. The agitational programmes that they plan to undertake include demonstrations on December 28, followed by the unions addressing a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on December 29, the two bank unions said. The union members also plan to demonstrate over the issue on January 2 and 3, 2017. AIBEA general secretary C H Venkatchalam and his AIBOA counterpart S Nagrajan in a statement issued today said, "As per the call of our organisations, already our units have undertaken the programme of demonstrations in all major centres and met the local executives of RBI to hand over our memorandum". The unions have demanded to ensure supply of adequate cash to all banks and branches, restore all ATMs without further delay and ensure transparency in cash supply to banks. "If RBI is not able to supply adequate cash to banks, then decision should be taken to suspend cash transactions in the bank branches till sufficient cash is supplied to banks," the statement said. They also demanded CBI inquiry into the cases of seizure of huge number of new currency notes with some big persons when the bank branches are cash starved. The unions also demanded compensation to the families of the persons and bank staff who lost their lives recently due to the demonetisation. The statement asked RBI and state governments to ensure safety and protection of bank employees and officers by maintaining law and order in all branches to prevent harassment of the staff. They also want proper compensation to employees and officers for their extra work/late sittings done since November 8. Both the unions claim to have over 5.50 lakh members out of the nearly 9 lakh bank employees in the country. (PTI)

Bank unions call for agitation over note ban-related issues

Chile&#39;s footballers have voted to go on strike, forcing the start of the league season to be postponed. 
 
The players union Sifup is unhappy at a decision to reduce promotion and relegation in the new season, a move which it says has cost 120 players their jobs in the top two divisions. It has also complained about unpaid wages at some clubs. 
 
&quot;The professional players unanimously decided to follow the call to stop the national championship,&quot; said Sifup in a statement. 
 
The Chilean FA (ANFP) has ruled that only one team will relegated and one team promoted between the top tier, known as the Primera Division, and second tier, known as the Primera B, at the end of the 2016-17 season. 
 
Meanwhile, there will be no promotion or relegation at all between the second and third tier, known as the Segunda. 
 
Sifup said the decision had &quot;reduced the competitiveness of the domestic tournaments, where the clubs, who do not see themselves as threatened in case of a poor campaign, have drastically cut the costs of their squads.&quot; 
 
It said that 120 players had seen their contracts terminated in the top two tiers and 300 in the third tier. 
 
The ANFP confirmed that the start of the season at the weekend would be postponed and said that the reduced promotion and relegation was for the upcoming season only. 
 
&quot;We regret Sifup&#39;s decision to ratify the strike, a situation which will have negative efforts on the championship, the fans, the players and the sport in general,&quot; it said. 
 
(Reuters)

The players union Sifup is unhappy at a decision to reduce promotion and relegation in the new season

Chile's footballers have voted to go on strike, forcing the start of the league season to be postponed. The players union Sifup is unhappy at a decision to reduce promotion and relegation in the new season, a move which it says has cost 120 players their jobs in the top two divisions. It has also complained about unpaid wages at some clubs. "The professional players unanimously decided to follow the call to stop the national championship," said Sifup in a statement. The Chilean FA (ANFP) has ruled that only one team will relegated and one team promoted between the top tier, known as the Primera Division, and second tier, known as the Primera B, at the end of the 2016-17 season. Meanwhile, there will be no promotion or relegation at all between the second and third tier, known as the Segunda. Sifup said the decision had "reduced the competitiveness of the domestic tournaments, where the clubs, who do not see themselves as threatened in case of a poor campaign, have drastically cut the costs of their squads." It said that 120 players had seen their contracts terminated in the top two tiers and 300 in the third tier. The ANFP confirmed that the start of the season at the weekend would be postponed and said that the reduced promotion and relegation was for the upcoming season only. "We regret Sifup's decision to ratify the strike, a situation which will have negative efforts on the championship, the fans, the players and the sport in general," it said. (Reuters)

Chilean footballers vote to strike, matches called off

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