el-Badeel reports: The head of the state-controlled trade union federation (EFTU), Hussein Megawer, has announced that he would agree to let the free union of the real estate tax collectors join the federation. Union leaders refused this offer, saying they will not enter the official union structure since it is controlled by the ruling party NDP, stressing that they have the right to organize independently according to the Egyptian constitution and international treaties signed by Egypt.
In 2007 Egypt witnessed an unprecedented level of labor unrest as workers from textile factories to public transport to tax collectors went on strike, mainly over low wages and poor working conditions.
Revolutionary Socialists' statement following the victory of the tax strike in Jan 2008.. The blog posting included a call for establishing an independent union...