Genetic engineers want authorities to recognise their job title

AMMAN — Jordanian genetic engineers are planning to take their issue to court after “knocking on all doors” to “reclaim” their rights, according to their representative.

After years of what they describe as a “conspiracy” orchestrated against them by the “sharks of the industry”, genetic engineers are now renewing their calls to lift the “injustices”, said president of the Jordanian Society for Genetic Engineers (JSGE), Ramzi Foudeh.

“We lost our job title in 2008 when the Public Health Law was amended. The decision was taken under the pretext that this specialisation is not available in Jordan despite the fact that is it taught at several universities,” Foudeh told The Jordan Times earlier this week.

As a result, genetic engineers cannot obtain licences to open genetic test labs or practise their profession legally.

“Cancelling our job titles has also deprived us of working in the public sector. Employment through the Civil Service Bureau has been zero for the last five years.  Lab technicians always come before us,” Foudeh charged.

According to a statement by the JSGE, “big lab owners are monopolising the sector, banning genetic engineers from having their own job title so that they do not share the huge profits genetic test labs generate.”

“Our job title was dropped out of fear of our ability to compete with them,” claimed Foudeh, noting that there are currently 3,000 genetic engineers in Jordan and 2,000 undergraduates.

He said the unemployment rate in this specialisation reaches 94 per cent, driving many to work in jobs that have nothing to do with their education.

On the other hand, Qasem Rahahleh, director of the Health Ministry’s licences and professions department, said the department grants genetic engineering graduates practising certificates as genetic test lab technicians, under which they can work in private and public labs.

“So far, a total of 1,020 practising certificates have been issued,” he told The Jordan Times, adding that the department is not concerned with job titles.

“They [genetic engineers] should be more specific with identifying their problem,” he said.

Foudeh, on the other hand, said the society has raised its issue to the Cabinet, which maintained that genetic engineers do not have a clear job title and formed a committee to study the issue.

The committee, which included members from the Health Ministry, the Civil Service Bureau and the JSGE, recommended reinstating the genetic engineers job title. A copy of the committee’s findings was e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

“But the decision remained on the shelf,” the JSGE president said, adding that a press conference will soon be held to announce escalatory measures, which include resorting to court.