University workers and academics across the West Bank will stop work on Monday ( Nov 23, 2009) to demand better working conditions and pay increases parallel to cost of living and inflation.

More than 7,000 workers are to strike -locking out of class-rooms about 150,000 students.

The strike comes after earlier protest action on November 17 by members of the union. The union complained that there has been a series of useless talk, speeches, dialogue with officials - and nothing has happened.

On Monday union members will protest outside Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s offices in Ramallah.

The union leadership have appealed several times to President Mahmoud Abbas and caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to intervene.

They say that  if  their demands are not met then a third round of industrial action will start, including further strike action to be organized following the Eid Al-Adha holidays next week.