New trade union law undermines freedom of association in Egypt
Egypt’s parliament approved a draft law on the regulation of trade unions, which independent unions criticized for failing to protect the workers’ right to association.
CAIRO — The Egyptian parliament approved Dec. 5 the trade union draft law that has been widely criticized by Egyptian independent trade unions as furthering strict government control over these groups, raising questions about the future of the labor movements in Egypt.
The draft law was prepared by the Egypt's Labor Ministry in 2016 as an alternative to the Trade Union law No. 35 of 1976. The draft was approved by the Egyptian government in January, and approved in principle by the Egyptian parliament on Nov. 7. The parliament issued its final approval of the draft law in its fifth plenary session Dec. 5.
