AL-QUDS (Xinhua) – Thousands of public bus drivers in the Israeli-occupied territories went on strike on Sunday morning to demand a pay rise and better working conditions.
The strike involved more than 5,000 drivers from five companies, out of about 16,000 drivers in 14 bus companies operating the regime’s public lines, Israel Ganon, chairman of the bus drivers union, told Xinhua.
The drivers demand the regime raise wages, improve basic conditions such as allowing breaks for rest and refreshment, and prevent the frequent violence against them, Ganon said.
As part of the strike, the drivers shut down bus lines throughout the occupied territories from the start of the service to 9 a.m. local time, the rush hour of the first day of a new work week, and blocked roads to aggravate traffic jams, according to the union’s head.
“To get a reasonable salary, drivers need to work double hours a month,” Ganon explained.
“The workload makes them nervous and causes them to be late, and therefore the passengers suffer as well,” he added.
The occupying regime’s authorities have yet to respond to the strike.