The Arab Spring "Union Training on Union Organization & Development" September 26th - October 7th Abdallah Alagha

Introduction To The Arab Spring Named “Arab Spring” to make a reference to the people spring at 1848 in Europe. Started as a social and national movement in late 2010 in Tunisia and still moving until now in other Arab countries. In Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Morroco & Jordan.

Non Violence in Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen and Bahrain. Violence in Libya and Syria. Common slogan: “Erhal”, which means: Get out.

Arab Spring = Youth Revolution Youth played a central role in sparking protest movements across the Arab world, and starting the revolutionary wave. From Morocco to Bahrain, passing by Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, Youth share the same conditions and looking almost for the same aims.

The objectives of Arab Spring ? Bread (work) - Freedom - Dignity

Why the Youth Revolt ? Expression of liberty Corruption Cost of life, jobless Need of system of good governance. But without help from other countries.

Main Features Non violence. No leadership. Use of Facebook, Twitters, internet blogs. Rebuild geopolitics: Economy, Natural Resources and the Palestinian Question.

"We are here cleaning our country Egypt, which is our property and not anyone else's."

The Role of Trade Unions in the Arab Spring The Tunisian General Union of Labor: (UGTT) During the protests following Bouazizi’s death, the union cut its ties with the government and embraced true independence, organizing its half-million members to join the protests. TUNISIA

EGYPT As protesters gathered on Tahrir Square, Egyptian workers united to form the Egyptian Federation for Independent Unions, effectively destroying the state-controlled Egyptian Trade Union Federation. Between 2004 and 2008, 1.7 million Egyptian workers had already launched almost 2,000 strikes. The first acts of the new Federation were to call for a General Strike in support of the opposition movement's demands for change, and to publish a list of demands for wage reform, welfare reform, workers rights and the release of opposition detainees.

In Yemen, Bahrain, Mauritania Tunisia and Egypt, the newly independent trade unions seek democracy, economic stability, and more liberal — rather than religious — government. The Horizon

“Since the start of the Arab Spring blossom with the entire rainbow colors, even with some levels of blood colors, the Arab nation found the starting point to its way of happiness” “Ziad Muna”

16 September 2011 The founding union organizations are from Bahrain (GFTU); Egypt (EFITU); Iraq (GFIW); Kuwait (KTUF); Jordan (GFJTU); Libya ( FLWF*); Mauritania (CLTM, CNTM, UTM); Morocco (CDT, CGTM, UMT); Palestine (PGFTU); Tunisia (UGTT); and Yemen (GFYWTU). Fifteen Arab trade union organizations from 10 countries founded a new Forum to promote the fundamental values of democratic and independent trade unionism and to increase regional union solidarity and unity.

Tunisian trade unionist Abdessalem Jerad The elected President of the new Forum “The transition process to democracy as well as the revolutionary struggles, which are still ongoing, need a better contribution from the Arab trade union movement. Our priorities are to achieve genuine democracy and social justice, to ensure dignity for all in the Arab world”

The final declaration of the meeting “A key historic player in many national liberation battles, the independent trade union movement in the Arab world has been struggling for decades under the most difficult circumstances to enforce the freedom of association and the right to organize, as well as to defend fundamental rights at work and decent livelihoods for workers’ families and the rest of the society. Free trade union fighters in the region have faced campaigns of heavy repression and exclusion.”

Members of the forum committed themselves to defend and promote the core principles of independent trade unionism. The right of all workers to form independent and representative trade union organizations. The right to collective bargaining, the rejection of any outside interference in trade union affairs. Respect for public and individual freedoms, including the right to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration. Top Priority of the Forum: Equality between men and women, elimination of all forms of discrimination, including against migrant workers, genuine social dialogue, efficient social protection for all workers, including those working on the informal economy.

Finally Youth are the leading figure in the Arab spring. They also lead the reforming of the social institutions, that includes the trade unions, which was controlled by the dictatorship regimes. It is a process of opening a closed regimes which may take time, however its good to start rather than to wait and do nothing.

Thank You Abdallah Alagha