18 - 24 October 2001
Issue No.556
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 18 - 24 October 2001 Issue No.556 |
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OFF THEY GO: The first of a three-stage election to the General Federation of Trade Unions for 2001-2006 began on 8 October with little fanfare. On the eve of the ballot, over 100 workers, disqualified by either the GFTU or the Ministry of Manpower, submitted petitions with administrative courts contesting the irregularity of the nomination process. Legal action was also initiated by the Land Centre for Human Rights which is demanding comprehensive judicial supervision over the elections. At present, only one judge supervises the ballot in each governorate. Further, the Hisham Mubarak Centre for Human Rights also contested the legality of a joint committee set up by the Ministry of Manpower and the GFTU to supervise the elections.
The first phase of the elections, which ends on Sunday, will decide the formation of 2,200 floor shop committees nationwide. Their seats are being contested by 41,900 candidates. Although the national press reported a voter turnout of 90 per cent, a large number of seats were won uncontested. In the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, 575 seats on 62 committees were won unopposed.
The elections come at a time when organised labour is up against the passing of the controversial draft unified labour law, expected to be presented to the next session of parliament, the liquidation of the public sector and an increase in the number of establishments shut down in the private sector.
The only areas where heated battles did take place were in workplaces where nominees of specific political affiliations were running. At the Iron and Steel factory in Helwan, seats went to a member of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Ali Fath El-Bab, left-leaning Mohamed Mustafa and government candidate Salah Heikal.
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