Unions oppose VAT, Labour Unions bill, Civil Service Act
A number of trade and workers’ unions appear to be leading a concerted campaign to tank key government legislation including the Civil Service Act, the value-added tax (VAT), and the Labor Unions Act. That’s right: They haven’t given up on scrapping the Civil Service Act despite it having passed the House. The Tadamon Coalition of state employees are on a letter-writing campaign targeting the Council of State (Maglis El Dowla), which is reviewing the law, trying to get it reject it. The group feels the law is unconstitutional, saying it violates workers’ rights to form unions. They’re also arguing that it was previously rejected by the House (how that’s supposed to matter, we’re not entirely sure). As for the VAT, a number of unions issued a joint press statement saying the measure would “threaten stability,” widen the gap between rich and poor, and further derail investor sentiment if it passes in its current form. At a parliamentary hearing on the tax last week, union members also demanded expansion of the VAT exemption list. Meanwhile, leaders of independent trade unions are seething over a leaked copy of the draft Labor Unions bill, which they claim violates international labor laws and enforce new restrictions on the rights of workers to bargain collectively, Al Mal reports.