Kirkuk Hospital Staff Announce Full-Scale Strike Starting June 1

Public hospital staff in Kirkuk have announced a full-scale strike effective June 1, 2026, to protest the government's failure to address long-standing professional and financial grievances. The industrial action will encompass all departments, including emergency services and intensive care units, across Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk Teaching Hospital, the Women and Children’s Hospital, Hawija Hospital, and Daquq Hospital. Employees are demanding the formalization of permanent employment contracts, the disbursement of retroactive salary payments, and the restoration of outstanding administrative rights. The strike represents a significant escalation in the dispute between healthcare workers and provincial authorities. Union representatives have formally held the relevant institutions accountable for any consequences resulting from the continued neglect of these demands. The total cessation of services across these major facilities threatens to disrupt critical medical care for the region's population.