Protests, strikes escalates in Syria amid worsening livelihood crisis

Protests and demand-driven strikes continue in several regions of Syria amid escalating economic pressures and declining purchasing power among the population, as prices and living costs remain persistently high while the gap between actual wages and daily living expenses continues to widen.

In the latest development, workers at Znobia Ceramics Company in rural Damascus have announced a strike to demand higher wages and improved working conditions, stating that current salaries no longer reflect the rapidly rising prices of essential goods and services.

This coincided with a strike organized by workers at the "Madar" factory in Al Kiswah, a town in rural Damascus, protesting low wages and salaries. The protesters demanded an increase in pay that would align with current living conditions and rising cost of living expenses.

Several workers confirmed that their monthly incomes are no longer sufficient to meet their families' basic needs, prompting them to go on strike in order to convey their demands to the factory management and relevant authorities.

In North and East Syria, daily protest demonstrations are taking place in the towns of Tel Brak, Al-Hol, and Al-Shadadi in the Hasaka countryside, as well as in Raqqa province, demanding improvements to living conditions and guaranteed access to fuel supplies, amid ongoing complaints about rising prices, declining services, and the resulting additional burdens on residents.

These measures come at a time when Syria is experiencing a worsening economic crisis, marked by rising inflation rates, depreciation of the Syrian lira, and increasing production and transportation costs. These challenges have directly impacted the living standards of workers and low-income households, prompting more segments of society to demand higher wages and improved basic services.

ANHA