Jordan's Constitutional Court Officially Cancels Teachers' Union Law

Jordan's Constitutional Court has issued a historic ruling declaring the Jordanian Teachers' Union law unconstitutional, deeming it entirely void from the date of the ruling, in a move described as pivotal in the kingdom's labor union work.

According to local media reports, the Court in its general assembly invalidated Teachers' Union Law No. 14 of 2011 and its amendments, which had been the official legal framework for the Teachers' Union since its establishment.

It is worth noting that the Jordanian Teachers' Union was founded in 2011, including teachers from various parts of the kingdom.

It has played a central role in union activities, especially in the major teachers' strike in 2019, where the union called for a halt to educational services in protest against low salaries and allowances.

The strike, which lasted for several weeks, ended with an agreement with the government to grant teachers financial allowances ranging from 35% to 50%, as reported by local sources at the time.

However, on July 25, 2020, a government decision was issued to suspend the union's activities for two years and close all its branches across Jordan.

It also decided to freeze the powers of the union council members, branch bodies, and management from exercising any authority, and to establish a temporary committee under the Ministry of Education to manage affairs during the freeze period.

This ruling comes after a series of tensions between the union and government authorities, including referring union issues to the judiciary by the Jordanian Public Prosecution, complicating the union's legal landscape in recent years.

The new judicial decision raises wide questions about the future of teachers' union representation in Jordan and reshapes the legal landscape of professional unions in the country.