Tens of day-laborers laid off from the Ministry of Agriculture demonstrated Monday morning in front of the Prime Ministry in an escalation of their protest against the government's decision to fire them.

The cabinet had decided in late 2009 to lay off the 256 day-laborers, who had been employed for nearly two years by the Agriculture Ministry, because their employment fell outside of official payroll.

Tuesday’s Protestors stressed to 'Ammon News' that they will not stop their 'escalation measures' until the government grants their requests to reinstate them.

In response to Prime Minister Samir Rifai's statement that the decision to fire them is final, Muhammad Sneid, President of the Public Sector Day-Laborers’ Committee, said "we will not accept such an arbitrary decision; we call for the most basic right that should be guaranteed to Jordanian citizens.'

"We will not beg the government for our rights, this is our right," he added.

Sneid noted that the day-laborers are planning to erect a permanent protest tent in the Prime Ministry's 'yard,' where day-laborers will take turns protesting in until their demands are met.