Amman, April 21, 2026
A specialized report revealed a sharp decline in thenumber of labor protests in Jordan during 2025, with only 24 protests recordedcompared to 51 in 2024 - a decrease of 53%.
The report, issued by the Labor Watch Jordan at thePhenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies, emphasized that thisdecline does not necessarily indicate an improvement in working conditions or areduction in labor grievances. Instead, it is primarily linked to risingunemployment rates, shrinking job opportunities, and increasing workervulnerability. These factors have weakened workers’ ability to protest andheightened fears of losing their jobs.
According to the report, Jordan’s unemployment ratereached 21.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025. The rate among women was 32.9%,compared to 18.2% among men, while overall economic participation stood at just34.1%. These indicators reflect a tight labor market and the high value placed onavailable jobs, making workers more reluctant to resort to protest.
The report explained that the current labor marketenvironment, characterized by limited job opportunities, undermines workers’bargaining power. With large numbers of job seekers willing to accept positionsunder weaker conditions, employers find themselves in a stronger position,reducing their incentive to respond to workers’ demands. This deepens workers’sense that protests are ineffective.
This situation is further exacerbated by the lack ofeffective legal protections and strong union mechanisms in many sectors.Participation in labor protests becomes a risky gamble that could cost workerstheir only source of income. As a result, fear of job loss acts as a deterrentagainst strikes or sit-ins, even as working conditions continue to deteriorate.
The report argued that high unemployment rates are notmerely an economic indicator but also serve as an indirect pressure mechanismthat restricts protest activity and limits workers’ ability to defend theirrights.
Data showed that most labor protests in 2025 wereconcentrated in the private sector (70.8%), which employs the majority ofJordan’s workforce but is marked by instability and weak job security comparedto the public sector. This concentration highlights that labor tensions stemlargely from the structure of employment relations in the private sector.
Regarding protest causes, 29.2% were linked toobjections against laws, regulations, procedures, and decisions, whilewage-related issues accounted for 25%. Other causes included health insurance,occupational safety, and general working conditions. The prominence ofobjections to policies and regulations indicates that labor tensions extendbeyond immediate working conditions to the broader framework governing thelabor market.
The report noted that wage levels remain a majorsource of labor tension. Around 54% of workers insured under social securityearn 500 dinars or less per month, while 21.5% earn 300 dinars or less. Thesefigures reflect widespread income fragility and the inability of many workersto meet basic living needs.
The nature of protests in 2025 was described asshort-lived and limited in scope. Sit-ins accounted for 50% of protests, 37.5%were threats of protest, and only 12.5% were strikes. Half of the protestslasted just one day.
The report found that 87.5% of protests failed toachieve any demands, while partial success was recorded in only one case. Noprotest resulted in full satisfaction of demands. These outcomes underscore thelimited effectiveness of protests in achieving tangible results.
Additionally, 75% of protests took place outside anyunion framework, reflecting weak union representation in Jordan. This weaknessrenders protests more akin to short-term spontaneous reactions, lackingorganization and sustainable collective bargaining power.
The report highlighted that the absence of effectiveunion structures stems from longstanding structural and legislativerestrictions that have hindered union development. As a result, large segmentsof workers remain outside any organizational framework capable of defendingtheir rights or negotiating on their behalf.
This reality weakens workers’ bargaining power,exposes them to deteriorating working conditions, and limits their ability totransform grievances into impactful collective action.
The report concluded that the decline in laborprotests in Jordan during 2025 should not be interpreted as an improvement inthe labor market. Instead, it reflects the interplay of economic and socialfactors most notably high unemployment, low wages, increased job insecurity,weak union organization, and declining confidence in protest as an effectivepressure tool.
It stressed that these findings reveal a fundamentalparadox: labor grievances persist, yet the ability to express them hasdiminished. Addressing this requires deeper reforms to the structure of thelabor market, not just responses to protest activity.