Trade unions in Egypt

Trade unions in Egypt first emerged at the start of the 20th Century, although organised collective action in the form of strikes undertaken by workers was recorded as early as 1882.[2]:48 Following Egypt's formal independence in the mid-1950s trade unions were incorporated into state structures and only one officially recognised national centre existed. Starting in the 1970s and intensifying dramatically during the first decade of the 21st Century, an independent, organised (but unofficial) labour movement took root in the country. This movement ultimately played a significant role in the Egyptian revolution of 2011 and the subsequent growth of independent trade unions and trade union pluralism.[3] However, with the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état and changes in laws governing trade unions, the situation for labour rights significantly worsened. In March 2018, independent unions were dissolved and required to reregister within 60 days; of 1,000 independent unions in existence previously, only 122 were recognised by the state within the time frame.[4]:13

Trade unions in Egypt
National organization(s)ETUF, EFITU, EDLC
Primary legislationLaw no. 213/2017 on Trade Unions
Total union membership7 million
Density[1]:142% (waged workers)
23% (all workers)
Global Rights Index
5 No guarantee of rights
International Labour Organization
Egypt is a member of the ILO
Convention ratification
Freedom of Association6 November 1957
Right to Organise3 July 1954

Early history of trade unionism

Trade unionism grew first in the cigarette sector following a successfully coordinated strike from December 1889 to February 1900 and over the next ten years, trade unions were founded to represent workers in the textiles industry, printers, metal workers, barbers and lawyers clerks.[2]:51–52

References
  1. "Egypt: Labour Market Profile 2016" (PDF). Danish Trade Union Development Agency. June 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  2. Beinin, Joel, 1948- (1998). Workers on the Nile : nationalism, communism, Islam, and the Egyptian working class, 1882-1954. Lockman, Zachary. Cairo, Egypt: American University in Cairo Press. ISBN 9774244826. OCLC 41304295.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Beinin, Joel (2012). The Rise of Egypt's Workers (PDF). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  4. 2019 ITUC Global Rights Index: The World's Worst Countries for Workers (PDF). International Trade Union Confederation. 2019.
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