On the occasion of the first anniversary of their sit-in, that was effected in December 2007 to call for equality between the employees in governorates with their counterparts in the main Real Estate Taxes Authority in Cairo, The Real Estate Tax Authority employees held the constituent conference of their trade union.

The conference was invited by the Strike General Committee which was elected directly within the Strike event and mandated by the workers to continue to mandate the committee to continue its negotiations with the minister for further implementation of the their demands and to improve their labour conditions and the professional performance, as well to begin its work at establishing an independent union for RETA workers.

More than 5000 of the Real Estate Tax Authority workers came from all the Egyptian governorates to take part in the conference which was held at the Journalists Syndicate building on 20^th December 2008 at 4 p.m.

The conference program included the following themes:

• First: Identifying significant achievements during the last year:

§ Further implementation of the employees' demand for equality between the employees in governorates with their counterparts in the main Real Estate Taxes Authority in Cairo.

§ The impact of this achievement has been a 300% increase of their salaries before the strike sit-in.

§ The establishment of a social and health care fund for the Real Estate Tax Authority employees is about to be completed.

§ However, the most important achievement has been identified by the attendees is the continuing of the movement and its elected committee.

• Second: The attendees agreed upon the objectives of the Real Estate Tax Authority employees which are:

§ To obtain equal rights similar to the employees of the Egyptian Tax Authority who get 900% of their basic salaries as incentives,

§ To complete the creation of the social and health care fund, and

§ To accomplish the establishment of their independent union.

• Third: Establishment of the Union.

§ The Union’s constituent council was announced. Council members were elected from all over the governorates on the basis of one representative for each governorate.

§ The conference-as a general assembly- mandated the constituent council to complete the necessary procedures for establishing the independent trade union that includes:

§ Developing a proposal for the Union Constitution.

§ Dealing with all the government and non-government bodies.

§ Affiliating to international trade union organizations.

§ The constituent council consisted of 27 members chaired by Mr. Kamal Abu Eita. The council includes 7 women members from various governorates.

§ The constituent council emphasized that the members of the independent union declared their resignations from the official Trade Unions Federation. They intend to file legal suitcases to stop checking-off membership fees from the employees’ salaries to the benefit of the Official Organization.

Recently: The conference honored some of the supporters of the RETA labour movement who helped them in their struggle for their rights. Amongst the honored were members of the parliament, journalists and symbols of the socio-political movement.

The conference declared its full solidarity with the workers of Mehalla Spinning Company who were punished for their protest move against privatization on 30^th October. The conference announced as well its full support for the workers who were dismissed from Tanta Linen Company because they exercised the right of strike.

The conference announced that RETA employees will continue to celebrate the anniversary of their event. At the conclusion of the conference the attendees enjoyed an entertainment party.