Draft:Arab Trade Union Confederation

Arab Trade Union Confederation
Headquarters Amman, Jordan Date of Establishment October 1, 2014 Legal Status NGO President Shaher Saad (Palestine) Secretary-General Hind Benammar (Jordan) Official Website https://arabtradeunion.org/

The Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) was established on October 1st, 2014, as an affiliate of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Its formation was initiated at the request of 16 independent Arab trade union organizations. The founding congress of ATUC took place in Amman, Jordan.

ATUC represents over 5 million workers across the following countries: Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, and Lebanon.

Objectives of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

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1. Defending Workers' Rights: Advocate for the right of all workers to organize and engage in trade union activities freely, while promoting the establishment of democratic, independent, and transparent unions.
2. Unifying Arab Trade Union Movements: Strive for unity among democratic Arab trade unions to address emerging challenges and support democratic transitions in Arab countries.
3. Promoting Social Justice: Work toward achieving social justice, democracy, equitable wealth distribution, good governance, social advancement, decent work, and a dignified life for all.
4. Improving Labor Relations: Advance labor relations to ensure fundamental work rights and improve the economic and social conditions of workers.
5. Human Rights and Freedoms: Support human rights and advocate for public and individual freedoms, especially trade union rights such as the right to organize, freedom of expression, peaceful protest, and strikes.
6. Gender Equality: Promote equality and eliminate all forms of discrimination based on gender, race, religion, language, or social and cultural origins. Defend women's rights to leadership positions in employment, representative institutions, and trade unions, and combat all forms of violence and discrimination against women.
7. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: Advocate for the economic, social, and cultural rights of all workers in the Arab region through structured social dialogue and collective bargaining.
8. Arab Economic Integration: Promote Arab economic integration as a vital condition for economic and social development across the region.
9. Combating Exploitation: Fight against human trafficking, sexual exploitation, forced labor, and other exploitative practices.
10. Migrant Workers' Rights: Defend the rights of migrant workers and combat discrimination and exploitation they may face.
11. Youth Employment: Develop youth employment initiatives, combat unemployment, precarious work, and social exclusion, and defend the rights of young workers.
12. Fighting Poverty and Inequality: Work to eradicate poverty, hunger, exploitation, oppression, corruption, inequality, and discrimination.
13. Protecting Vulnerable Groups: Oppose child labor, protect the rights of domestic workers, and defend children and young girls subjected to forced displacement and exploitation.
14. Participatory Development Policies: Advocate for inclusive and sustainable development policies in Arab countries to foster social democracy and equitable wealth distribution.
15. Enhancing Union Membership: Take measures to increase trade union membership across the Arab region.
16. Fostering Solidarity: Strengthen solidarity among Arab and global trade unions, and support oppressed labor movements.
17. Collaborating with Civil Society: Build ties with organizations and social movements aligning with ATUC's principles and values to oppose unchecked neoliberalism.
18. Supporting People with Disabilities: Advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities and retirees, ensuring their protection and inclusion in trade union activities.
19. Opposing Colonialism and Supporting Liberation Movements: Reject all forms of colonialism and foreign intervention, support struggles for sovereignty and self-determination, and advocate for the liberation of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Structure of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

[edit] The ATUC's program and policies are determined by its constitution and established during its congresses.

1. Elections and Governance:

• During the congress, the General Council and the Secretary-General are elected. Immediately after, the General Council elects the Executive Bureau and the President of the Union.

2. Executive Bureau Composition:

• The Secretary-General
• The President of the Union
• One member from each affiliated organization
• Representatives from the Women's and Youth Committees

3. General Council Composition:

• The General Council includes two members (one male and one female) from each affiliated organization.

Members of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

[edit] Full Members

1. General Federation of Oman Workers

2. General Union of Algerian Workers

3. General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers

4. General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions

5. General Federation of Iraqi Trade Unions

6. General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions

7. General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions

8. Egyptian Democratic Labor Union

9. Tunisian General Labor Union

10. Moroccan Labor Union

11. Democratic Confederation of Labor (Morocco)

12. General Union of Moroccan Workers

13. Mauritanian Workers Union

14. Free Confederation of Mauritanian Workers

15. National Confederation of Mauritanian Workers

16. General Federation of Yemeni Trade Unions

17. General Federation of Libyan Trade Unions

Associate Members

1. National Federation of Workers and Employees in Lebanon

2. General Federation of Workers in Iraq

3. General Federation of Trade Union of the Republic of Iraq

Conferences of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

[edit] · Founding Conference: October 1–2, 2014, Amman, Jordan

· Second Conference: October 3–4, 2018, Marrakesh, Morocco

· Third Conference: September 15–16, 2022, Oran, Algeria

General Secretary

[edit] Founding Conference (October 1–2, 2014): Mustafa Tlili

Second Conference (October 3–4, 2018): Mustafa Tlili

Current Secretary-General (April 2023): Hind Benammar

President of ATUC

[edit] Founding Conference (October 1–2, 2014):

• Hussein Abbassi (Tunisia)
• Later succeeded by Noureddine Taboubi (Tunisia)

Second Conference (October 3–4, 2018): Mazen Maaytah (Jordan)

Third Conference (September 2022): Shaher Saad (Palestine)

Sources

[edit] · "Arab Trade Union Confederation." Archived May 12, 2021. Accessed May 15, 2021.

· Statement by the Arab Trade Union Confederation on Social Movements in Iraq (PDF). Archived June 23, 2019.

References