First it was the teachers, and now it’s the health care workers in the West Bank who have been forced to take strike action to protest late payment (and sometimes non-payment) of their salaries.

The health care workers union has announced a one day strike for Thursday, threatening to shut the entire system down and opening up clinics only one day a week to serve the local population.

According to a report on the Wafa news agency website, union leader Osama Al-Najar said “if the government did not meet the demands of the employees, such as paying the monthly salaries, the work will be limited to one day only next week.”.

A report on the Ma’an website says “from Feb. 17, the health sector will go on full strike, with the exception of one day per week in order to fulfill their responsibilities to the population. They will also continue the partial strike launched last week and strike this Thursday.  Al-Najjar said the government had failed to respond to their demands, which concern budget cuts affecting the health sector.”