His Majesty King Abdullah addressed on Monday workers in the country on the occasion of the Labour Day, congratulating them and voicing appreciation for their efforts in enhancing Jordan's development and progress.

In a letter sent to President of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), Mazen Maaytah, King Abdullah said vocational and technical streams of work were still under social and cultural pressures, hampering their development and that of the country's comprehensive economic drive.

In light of these conditions, the King underlined the need to adopt a new labour-related culture founded on the basis of respect for work and the importance of its achievement and outcome.

King Abdullah urged the labour unions, the associations of different businesses and the private sector to cooperate and build a partnership to promote the vocational capabilities of the Kingdom's labour force, enabling them to seize the opportunities provided by the local labour market.

The Jordan Times