Last week the International Trade Union Confederation released its annual Global Rights Index. The Index reviews the state of workers rights in 141 countries. \u201cThe Middle East and North Africa,\u201d it reported, \u201cwere again the worst region for working people.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the section on Libya, the ITUC reports that \u201can attempt was made on the life of Nermin Al-Sharif, head of the Libyan Dockers\u2019 and Seafarers\u2019 Union.\u201d Nermin \u201cwas at the wheel of a car on the outskirts of Benghazi when the occupants of two vehicles began pursuing her and shooting at her. Hit by a bullet, the trade unionist was unable to avoid crashing. She had to be hospitalised. This is the second attempt to murder Nermin Al-Sharif. Like many other human rights activists, she was targeted by fanatics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Referring to Bahrain, the ITUC reports on \u201cthe guilty verdict issued against the\u201d leaders of the teachers union Mahdi Abu Dheeb and Jalila al-Salman \u201cfor allegedly attempting to overthrow the ruling system by force and inciting hatred of the regime.\u201d Jalila was released in 2012, while Mahdi remained in prison to serve out his sentence and has only recently been freed. According to the ITUC report, both Mahdi and Jalila were tortured in detention.<\/p>\n
And in the section on Egypt, the ITUC discusses the Centre for Trade Unions and Workers\u2019 Services, which denounced a renewed attempt to muzzle independent trade unions. The CTUWS and its leader Kamal Abbas have long been targetted by the regime – and its predecessors – for their unshakeable commitment to independent trade unionism.<\/p>\n
LabourStart has been involved in all three countries, launching global online campaigns in support of these brave individuals and their unions.<\/p>\n
In 2012, working together with the ITUC, we campaigned demanding that the Egyptian government drop the charges against Kamal Abbas, who was accused of \u201cinsulting a public officer\u201d. Over 7,000 trade unionists around the world supported that campaign.<\/p>\n
That same year, our campaign calling on the Bahrain government to free Mahdi and Jalila got the support of more than 11,000 union members, and we hope that this contributed to the decision by the government to free Jalila.<\/p>\n
And in November 2015, working together with the International Transport Workers Federation, we launched a campaign demanding justice for Nermin and calling on the Libyan government to take steps to protect the lives of trade unionists and human rights defenders.<\/p>\n
All three campaigns are bound up with the story of the \u201cArab Spring\u201d which began in 2011.<\/p>\n
The revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and elsewhere have had mixed results. We are all thrilled that our brothers and sisters in the Tunisian trade union movement UGTT shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year. The success of the democratic revolution in Tunisia is due in no small part to the trade union movement there.<\/p>\n
I have no doubt that in the coming months and years we will see the ideals of the Arab Spring come to life again in Egypt, Bahrain and Libya — and that the independent trade unions in those countries will play central roles in the battle for democracy. People like Nermin, Mahdi and Kamal, who have been jailed, shot at, harassed and denounced by authoritarian regimes and fanatics, will be free to do their jobs as trade union leaders — and recognized for their heroic efforts in the fight for democracy and social justice.<\/p>\n
I am glad that LabourStart, working together with our partners in the international trade union movement, has been able to play a small role in all this.<\/p>\n
And I can promise to our brothers and sisters here today, to Nermin, Mahdi and Kamal, that we will stand by your side in the struggles to come. <\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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