Labour news from the Middle East
Algeria
independent unions targeted in government drive to destroy the democracy movement 2020-01-21 [IUF] Not my president, says Algerians as army's candidate claims electoral victory despite massive poll boycott and conitmuing protests 2019-12-15 [Mena Solidaity Network]
ITUC Demands Release of Jailed Union Official 2019-12-13 [ITUC]
Bahrain
GFBTU and IDWF Signed MOU on Protection of Domestic Workers’ Rights in Bahrain 2019-06-16 [EIN] Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi freed 2019-02-13 [ITUC]
Contracts stating rights of domestic workers mandatory from next month 2019-01-05 [GDN]
Egypt
The road to exile:A love letter to exiles about revolutions, authoritarianism, and the brutal dictatorship in Egypt 2020-01-19 [Opendemocracy] Giulio Regeni: Egypt tried to cover up murder, Italy says 2019-12-19 [BBC]
Imprisonment of Uglu Factory workers for 15 days 2019-09-18 [CTUWS]
Iran
Iranian oil workers protest against unpaid wages 2020-01-23 [IndustriALL] Iranian workers can’t afford 70% of minimum needs 2020-01-22 [Iran News Wire]
protests intensify as regime power wanes 2020-01-21 [PMOI Website]
Iraq
Two reporters shot dead in Basra 2020-01-13 [IFJ] 38 construction workers killed in Kurdistan 2019-12-30 [Shafaaq]
In Erbil, IFJ urges Kurdish President to fight impunity 2019-12-19 [IFJ]
Israel
Why Israel Keeps Deporting Foreign Workers – and Their Kids – Only to Import New Ones 2020-01-21 [Haaretz] Israel Holding Pregnant Migrant Worker in Isolation for Months, Defying UN Guidelines 2020-01-19 [Haaretz]
Why are Israel’s builders increasingly falling to their deaths? 2020-01-16 [Davar]
Jordan
Statement of solidarity with the popular uprising of people, workers, and students in Iran 2019-12-06 [Amman Center for Human Right Studies (ACHRS)] Garment sector remains barred for Nepali workers over low wage issue 2019-11-19 [The Post]
Pay deal ends strike by UN Palestinian agency workers 2019-11-04 [Arab News]
Kuwait
Ex-labor official calls for better protection, monitoring of OFWs 2020-01-04 [ABS/CBN] 'A serious violation of treaties': ITF warns Kuwait of potential breach of international law 2019-11-11 [ITF]
Workers strike at airport for better working conditions 2019-11-11 [AFP]
Lebanon
A thought for social workers in Lebanon during ongoing ‘week of rage’ protests 2020-01-23 [PSI] Union threatens strike over assaults, insults 2020-01-04 [Zawya]
Lebanese migrant workers celebrate despite turmoil 2019-12-18 [AL-Monitor]
Libya
Journalist arbitrarily arrested by intelligence services at Tripoli airport 2019-12-19 [IFJ] Union of Oil and Gas Workers demand pay rise 2019-08-26 [The Observer]
NOC calls for safe return of head of oil union taken in east 2019-05-05 [Reuters]
Middle East
Stronger Unions! Stronger Network! 2019-10-21 [BWI] The decades-old war on Palestinian workers 2019-08-23 [Al Jazeera]
IBF Agrees a Temporary Extended Risk Zone in the Strait of Hormuz 2019-08-13 [ITF]
Morocco
Workers Protest Morocco’s Moves to Limit Strikes 2019-08-06 [Solidarity Center] American Labor Organization Urges Morocco to Review Legislation on Labor, Right to Strike 2019-08-04 [MWN]
Casablanca Garbage Workers On Strike 2019-08-04 [MWN]
Oman
PFUJ to celebrate 2020 as year of press freedom 2019-12-30 [Dawn] Leading the way on workers’ rights in Oman 2019-07-28 [Times of Oman]
400 complaints in a year - and most about salaries: Trade Union 2018-11-06 [The Times]
Palestine
PJS records 760 violations against Palestinian journalists in 2019 2020-01-11 [IFJ] EI condemns the temporary closure of the Jerusalem office of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education by Israeli authorities 2019-12-09 [Education International]
Israeli forces detained Palestinian TV journalists in Jerusalem 2019-12-09 [IFJ]
Qatar
End of Abusive Exit Permits for Migrant Workers 2020-01-20 [Human Rights Watch] BWI issues two major reports on Qatar 2019-11-10 [BWI]
Online petition: End Forced Labor 2019-11-07 [freedomeunited.org]
Saudi Arabia
ITF and Saudi Arabia commit to work closer together to support seafarers 2019-11-06 [ITF] Khashoggi : A year without justice 2019-10-02 [IFJ]
Saudi Arabia announces new work rules for women 2019-01-21 [khaleejtimes]
Syria
Education union reports terrible toll of Turkish military aggression in Northeastern Syria 2019-10-25 [Education International] Education International condemns Turkish aggression in Syria 2019-10-18 [Education International]
Two journalists killed and four injured in explosion in northern Syria 2019-10-16 [IFJ]
Tunisia
“La plupart des conflits collectifs du travail sont réglés dans le cadre des négociations collectives et du dialogue social” 2019-10-25 [Direct Info] UNI Day Tunisia! 2019-07-10 [UNI Global Union]
PSI affiliates call on governments to restore rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea 2019-06-26 [PSI]
United Arab Emirates
Indian consulate in Dubai comes to rescue of stranded worker 2020-01-14 [Khaleej Times] Mandatory midday break for workers in UAE ends 2019-09-16 [Khaleej times]
Women's union launches Irtiwaa summer campaign for UAE workers 2019-08-23 [Contruction Week]
Yemen
Union reports 134 rights violations in 2019 2020-01-11 [IFJ] Stop targeting the press, says IFJ 2019-08-22 [IFJ]
Journalist Yahya al-Sawari must be released immediately 2019-07-19 [IFJ]
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