Prime Minister Essam Sharaf ordered on Thursday the dissolution of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), pending the election of a new committee to represent 2.5 million workers who comprise the ETUF's membership.
The decision was announced by cabinet spokesman Mohamed Hegazy, and follows a memo from Minister for Manpower and Immigration Ahmad al-Borai explaining that the ETUF elections held in 2006 are considered fraudulent.
The cabinet entrusted Borai with the task of dissolving the federation and replacing it with a temporary committee to handle its affairs. However, it is not clear as yet whether the election of a new committee in future elections will mean the revival of the ETUF or signal its replacement with an entirely new body.
The ETUF has long been controlled by the Egyptian state, and has been criticized by workers' rights activists as being a tool of repression from the Mubarak era.
A parallel independent organization, dubbed the Independent Unions Federation, was formed after the 25 January revolution.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
