University strikes erupt in Diyala as government slashes allowances

Shafaq News– Diyala

Hundreds of university employees in Iraq’s Diyala province protested and went on strike on Sunday over government cuts to university service allowances.

Most of the protesters, postgraduate graduates appointed to university posts, gathered for a second day outside Diyala University, accusing authorities of devaluing academic qualifications and unfairly cutting financial allowances.

“Any cut to salaries or allowances will deepen hardship for thousands of families,” protesters told Shafaq News, pointing to inflation, higher taxes, and the weaker dinar. Others pointed out that austerity measures should start with senior officials’ pay, not university staff.

The protest followed calls for a nationwide strike at universities in multiple provinces after a cabinet decision halted new contracts, daily-wage hiring, and service allowances for non-teaching employees, aimed at boosting revenues and tightening spending.

The Ministry of Finance, in an earlier statement, explained the allowances would apply only to employees fully dedicated to teaching in higher education and health institutions, though protesters said the cuts affect thousands of university workers.

No decision has been announced to reverse the measures.

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