 Since the coup d’état in 1969, Libya has been controlled by Colonel Muammar Al Qaddafi. In 1977, Qaddafi declared Libya the “Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya”, creating a system of government combining socialism and Islamic principles. Until recently, Libya was kept isolated from the rest of the world and Libyans had very little contact with people from outside of Libya. Libyans were rarely allowed to travel outside of Libya and travel to Libya was severely restricted.
Recently, the government of Libya has begun to abandon its policies of isolationism and is in the process of opening itself up to the world and pursuing privatization. The economy is now open to outside investment, the majority of which targets oil and natural gas. As a result of this sudden privatization after so many years of isolation, workers’ rights are not being respected or taken into consideration during the formation of these policies.
The General Trade Union Federation of Workers (GTUFW) is the only federation in Libya and recently joined the international labor community through the World Confederation of Labor (WCL), which merged with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in November 2006. Libyan workers do not enjoy the freedom of association, as the GTUFW experiences interference from the administration of the People’s Committees of the Revolutionary Command Council. Labor agreements are subject to government approval and workers do not have the right to strike. Of the approximately 1.6 million members of Libya’s active workforce, almost a third are migrant workers from Sub-Saharan Africa. These migrant workers, predominant in construction and agriculture, cannot join the union, have limited access to the pension and social security benefits accorded to Libyan nationals, and are subject to arbitrary expulsions.
The Solidarity Center began working with the GTUFW in Libya in January 2006 following an assessment mission in June 2005. Because of the lack of freedom and independence in Libya, progress has been slow. However, the Solidarity Center was able to complete its first activity with leaders of the GTUFW in November 2006. A workshop was held to inform these leaders of the core international labor standards and the ILO conventions. The Solidarity Center will also be conducting workshops in cooperation with the International Transportation Federation with port workers in Libya in December 2006. This workshop will teach occupational health and safety standards and measures.
In the near future, the Solidarity Center hopes to be able to reach out to the rank and file workers of Libya and conduct workshops to inform them of their rights under international labor standards and ILO conventions as well as prepare workers to advocate for these rights. The Solidarity Center would also like to implement programs targeting migrant workers as Libya has a significant number of them, but they do not enjoy any of the freedoms workers deserve and have no protection against abuse, discrimination, and even deportation.
Information de Contact
Heba F. El-Shazli Lisa McGowan
Regional Program Director, The Middle East Program Officer, The Middle East
The Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO The Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO
888 16 St. NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20006 LMcGowan@solidaritycenter.org
(202) 974 8384- Main Fax
(202) 974 8265– MENA Fax
helshazl@solidaritycenter.org |
