Time to Strike and Time for Change: The Labor Protests in Egypt and Beyond

Dingxiaozi Ding, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum
 
On the very first day of my internship at ILRF, I attended this discussion panel on labor movements in Egypt. Being Chinese, I didn’t know much of what was going on in Egypt so this event provided an opportunity for me to learn from the experts.  It was co-organized by the Solidarity Center and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Joel Beinin as the speaker discussed the main findings of the Solidarity Center report The Struggle for Workers for Workers Rights in Egypt (The report is available online). He was joined by Kamal Abbas, who is an Egyptian labor rights activist, and Sarah Leah Whitson, the director Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa divisions.

This event was a useful way to learn about some key issues that are related to Egypt but that also connect to some other broader issues that all workers face. 

Dr. Joel Beinin analyzed the current situation of labor rights movements in Egypt, and highlighted its roots and the implication on Egyptian society and future labor rights activities. Since 2004, Egypt has witnessed a dramatic increase in labor protests, close to 1600 incidences.

It resulted from the combined effects of authoritarian control and the liberalization policy. Despite its republic appearance, Egypt is an authoritarian state. The government exerts very restrictive control over civil society. Even though Egypt ratified core ILO conventions decades ago as listed in the following table, words have not been transformed into action. For instance, the government continues to suppress workers’ rights such as freedom of association and the right to organize and collective bargain. All NGOs are required to register with the Ministry of Social Solidarity. Permission from the Ministry of the Interior is required for any public meetings, and rarely given. Security forces routinely suppressed demonstrations and strikes. Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) is the only legal national trade union in Egypt. But it is very closely linked to the government, and can be seen as the arm of the state, rather than an independent trade union that speaks for workers. According to Egyptian law, all local trade unions must be recognized and affiliated with ETUF.

Ratification of core ILO Conventions by Egypt

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining   

• C87    Ratified on  11/06/1957
• C98    Ratified on 07/03/1954

Abolition of Child Labor   

• C138    Ratified on 01/23/1996
• C182    Ratified on 05/06/2002

Elimination of Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation   

• C100    Ratified on 07/26/1960
• C111    Ratified on 05/10/1960

Since 1970s when the Egyptian government started its liberalization program, Egypt has experienced rapid economic growth. However, the prosperity has not been equally shared by the whole society, but has deepened the gap between the rich and the poor tremendously. Following the instruction of IMF and the World Bank, Egyptian government reduced government expenditure on health, education, pension and unemployment benefits, which steadily impoverished Egyptian people. In order to attract foreign investment, the government did not loosen its control over civil society, and advertised Egypt as a country with cheap labor and a weak trade union.

Last year was truly a turning point when the Egypt’s first independent union-- Real Estate Tax Authority Union (RETA) --was established. This success represents the shifting concern of workers from merely economic terms to political realms. It also sent a positive signal to the society that pouring out into the street and demanding labor rights is an effective way.

The panel reminds me of the experience in Asia. Countries like China, Vietnam, India and Thailand, almost every country that went from a socialist economy to a liberal market economy had similar experiences. Workers are always the ones that suffered most from the pain of economic liberalization. Please allow me ask a stupid question: is liberalization the only way to prosperity? Is it possible to liberalize and develop economy on the one hand, and avoid the pains workers suffered on the other hand?