Soapbox:

Workers at the crossroads

By Howaida Roman

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The past months have witnessed a rising tide of labour protests in Egypt. In fact, escalating protest dates back to 2004, a result of the acceleration of privatisation. In 1991, Egypt signed an economic reform and structural adjustment programme agreement with International Monetary Fund. Privatisation is a main component of this reform package. The implementation of this policy resulted in two sets of effects: those having an impact on most citizens, such as prices hikes and a drop in real wages; and others which were confined to workers, and which included massive layoffs, late payment of wages, and cutbacks in bonuses.

The outcome, thus, is a deterioration of socio-economic conditions, coupled with rising frustration.

The increasingly frequent protests exhibit several common characteristics. The demands are mainly economic and partial, and as such are concerned with wages and overdue payments. No political goals are pursued. The protests also remain 'defensive'. Egyptian workers first seek to negotiate with factory management. When negotiations fail, the strikes begin. Such protests are also scattered, and happen in the absence of any collective, organised protest movement, which would be able to propose unified alternative policies.

Most of these protests have also been organised outside of the context of the existing trade unions. Some were even directed against official trade unions, to the same extent that they were against company management. The only legal labour union in Egypt is still the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), which includes 23 unions and is controlled by the government. The federation and its unions engage in little bargaining with employers. The coming days will determine many things, which include not only workers, the GFTU and government, but, as well, the very future of Egypt's labour movement.

This week's Soapbox speaker is assistant professor of political science at Misr University for Science and Technology.