Center For Trade Union and Workers' Services (CTUWS)
Honored the French Republic Prize for Human Rights, 1999
& Honored a Second honorary prize from SOLIDAR 2000
"The dream to establish a Center for Trade Union & Workers’ Services has become a reality and a new hope for the future of the Egyptian labour movement. A dream that has been realized only by the efforts of workers in steel, spinning factories and mines, struggling for their right to enjoy an adequate life.
The CTUWS praises workers for their distinguished work and thought. A special praise is tribute for those who believed in the issue of the labour class, to which they sacrificed their lives and supported the Center since its establishment till it became a Center for all Egyptian workers.
Peace be upon the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to be part of our great history".
Kamal Abbas, CTUWS general coordinator
The Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS) is an Egyptian non-governmental organization established in March 1990 by some labor leaders and activists guided by their experience in the Egyptian labor movement. They vowed to meet the urgent need to form an independent organization that advances and supports the needs of workers in a democratic manner, provide direct support and services to the workers and fill the void created by the “official” trade union organization which failed to achieve its fundamental obligations.
CTUWS’ Goals:
Since its foundation, CTUWS has worked to achieve the following mission:
- Assist and develop the labor movement by strengthening and increasing its capabilities.
- Support the workers democratic demands and act to safeguard their rights particularly the right to strike and to establish independent trade unions.
- Call for putting into effect the basic labor standards and improving the existing work conditions.
- Help improve the workers skills and capacities.
- Contribute to developing democratic practices in the society.
- Work for developing the labor movement in new sectors (i.e. the private sector in new industrial cities, the service sector and the informal sector).
- Advocate the involvement of women in society, especially in the labor and trade union movements.
- Defend the socially marginalized groups and act for their empowerment.
- Develop a working programme to combat child labor.
- Build bridges between workers and trade union movements at the international level and develop cooperation and joint action.
Activities:
CTUWS aims to achieve its goals through a number of programs: