Palestinian trade unionists, experts, and NGOs representatives, on Wednesday, proclaimed that the Palestinian internal political split erupted in 2007, has seriously affected almost every aspect of Palestinian life including the trade union status.
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) in cooperation with German Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung Foundation (FES) in Gaza organized the workshop. Member of PNGO board of director Amal Syam chaired the workshop.
The participants of the workshop emphasized on, "The Palestinian trade union movement has always been an authentic part of the national movement and struggle, and therefore, it should play an active role to end the internal division."
Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO's Network (PNGO), in his opening speech, said, "The trade union movement has always played a major role in defending the rights of workers and strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. Beside that it has been a symbol of the Palestinian struggle and national unity."
"The Palestinian internal division is no longer a split between the rivals Fatah and Hamas, but it deep-rooted in all society components including the trade unions whose role has declined which as a result affected the labor movement in Palestine and the Palestinian society as a whole," Shawa added.
Usama Antar, director of German Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung office in Palestine, said, "The internal division reinforced the political instability in the occupied Palestinian territories, and forced the trade unions to pay a high price."
Antar called for urgent efforts to end the internal division and restore the national unity, to face the tragedy, which the Palestinian people experience on daily basis.
Nidal Ghaben, director of Democracy and Workers' Rights Center (DWRC), presented his paper; and he stressed that, "the trade union action and its economic and social dimensions constitute a preface for our major national issues, are no less important than the political action." "The internal division has deepened the crisis experienced by the trade union movement," he added.
Ghaben proposed an initiative that provides a solution to the crisis experienced by the trade union movement, and provides an appropriate environment for the trade unions to overcome all the attempts to split the trade unions.
According to Ghaben, the solution lies in finding compatible formulas to overcome all disputes and disagreements based on political foundations in favor of commonalities.
He called to neutralize trade union action from political disputes. And consider it only from the perspective of social stakeholders and the rights for trade unions guaranteed by the international conventions and standards especially the International Labor Convention (ILO) (No. 87) and the International Labor Convention (ILO) (No. 98).
Ghaben also called to overcome confusion and duplication of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU). In addition, he explained that Hamas should not continue acquiring the name and logo of Trade Union Federation.
He urged the Trade Union Federations to build a coalition, based on general agreement of programed demands related to labor union right. And, after six months of the initiative's entry, the trade union will build their administrative and membership structures, hold elections and organize general conference.
Elias El-Jilda, trade union expert, stated that "the Palestinian trade union movement in general and labor unions in the Gaza Strip in particular is going through the most difficult historical phase in light of the complicated historical and political changes that took place since the beginning of the 20th century and through the Occupation period until the present."
El-Jilda highlighted major challenges facing the trade unions including trade unions disintegration and declining as well as the internal division that affected the Palestinian national cause.
He said, ''The political division and separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip affected the trade union action outside Gaza Strip and West Bank. And disabled the trade unions from carrying out their duties to influence the government to ensure minimally decent life for the employees and create development programs to achieve some sort of stability and job security for the employees."
And for developing union work, EL-Jilda proposed for respecting unions freedoms, and adopt democracy and trade unionism as a legitimate base for united all unions efforts which will reflecting the employees demands away from the government's political decisions and it requires to issue a modern democratic Trade Unions Law.
He stressed the need for enforce administrative and financial discipline in the trade union, based on integrity, transparency and accountability avoidance of individual's behavior and domination on administrative and financial decisions.