Maraghi: We work to protect workers and provide decent work and stability of the homeland.
Translated by: Moustafa Rostom
Guebali El Maraghi, Chairman of Egyptian Trade Union Federation and Head of Labor Committee of Egyptian Parliament, has welcomed the delegation of the International Labor Organization (ILO), headed by Ms. Karen Curtis, Chairperson of the ILO Standards Committee, who visited Egypt at the head of a high level delegation,. Accompanied by Ms Wafaa Osama ACTRAV ,Cairo office.
ETUF President has confirmed that he welcomes the amendments to the Trade Union Law No. 213 for the workers of Egypt and their trade union organizations. He promised that he will discuss these amendments in Parliament.
Guebali Marghi, has presented a quick glimse about the issuance of the trade union law in which elections were held, stressing the importance of mutual consultations with the ILO to protect workers and provide them with decent work. He added that there are some articles in the law that need amendments that emphasize the independence of trade union organization and that the general assemblies have the highest authority in managing the affairs of the trade union organizations.
Mohamed Wahaballah, Abdel Moneim El Gamal and Khaled Aish confirmed in the discussions that the Workers’ Union is keen to protect the interests of workers regardless of their trade union membership. The labor force in Egypt is 30 million and we provide services to all employees whether in Egypt or abroad.
We have worked to ensure that the law responds to many of the observations of the committee of experts in the organization. The elections were open to all and under judicial supervision. There are trade union organizations, whether independent or otherwise, that have not been able to adjust their situation, as well as many unions that follow the general unions under the law. That the General Union will hold supplementary elections to these committees early next January.
Abdul Moneim al-Gamal, Vice President of the Federation for International Relations , stressed that there is no governmental interference and power of the trade union movement is only to the members of its general assemblies, which manages its affairs of its own free will and is currently holding the General Assemblies of the General Trade Unions to amend its regulations according to the will of its members.
Khalid Aish, vice president of the General Federation, talked about the control of multinational companies and their lack of respect for national legislations, which affects workers’ rights. He called on the foreign investor to respect the law and referred to the negotiations he held with the Ministry of Manpower on the return of 30 workers who were separated by one of these companies operating in Egypt.
The members of the ILO mission has listened to examples of independent trade unions that had fulfilled their status under the law and joined ETUF. thanksMagdy Hassan, chairman of the General Union of Workers of the Public Transport Authority, said that the union was already on the ground. And international conventions, we were able to reconcile their positions and join the legal entity.
Ali Abdul Wahab, head of the General Union of Prosecutors and Courts, said that there is a sufficient database of 30 union committees in 27 governorates through which we managed to reconcile their positions and join the general union.
Ahmed El Sayed El Dibeki, president of the General Union of Health Science Workers, reviewed the journey of establishing the independent union at the end of 2010. However, the existence of Law 35 of 1976 was a barrier to the legitimacy of this union, which was practicing its discipline and participated in the preparation of the draft trade union law. 26 union committee has joined our union to the General Union.
Mr. Ahmed Al-Dabbiki also stressed that he was forced to secede from the independent federation and continued to work alone until the general union decided to join the General Federation of Egyptian Trade Unions after the reconciliation stage.
Discussions were held between the delegation members. The delegation included: Samuel Afsfaha officer principal relations TC Africa , Qahoush ACTAV, Wael Issa Senior Technical Advisor, and Dan Rees branch Chief Better work , , who reviewed all the different points in an atmosphere of transparency and frankness.
Karen Curtis announced that she was happy with the visit and that the newly elected board of directors of the newly elected union would be formed and that she would report on Egypt’s visit.
Both Nezam Qahouch ILO ACTRAV Geneva and Wafaa Osama ACTAV ILO Cairo office, has consistently continued serious cooperation between the ETUF and the Cairo office.
A statement from ETUF will be issued later as a result of these discussions.
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