Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies
Encyclopedia
FATULS, the Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies (Ittihad al-Niqabat wa'l-Jam'iyyat al-'Arabiyya, later known as the Arab Workers' Congress) was formed by Marxist activists led by Bulus Farah
(a former member of the Palestine Communist Party
) who split away from the Palestine Arab Workers Society
in 1942. By the end of that year it had recruited around 1500 members, including workers in the Haifa
area petroleum sector, Haifa port, and the British military camp (Beinin, 2001, p. 124).
FATULS concentrated on "shopfloor" issues and argued that only socialist revolution would address the workers' needs by liberating Palestine from the imperialist strangelehold (Younis, 2000, p. 67). It was allied to the National Liberation League.
The Federation's newspaper al-Ittihad was distributed widely and read by the overwhelming majority of labor (Aruri, 1972, p. 34).
The organization was banned following Jordan's annexation of the West Bank
in 1950 (Connell, 2001, p. 237).
Bulus Farah
Bulus Farah was a Palestinian trade unionist who founded the Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies in 1942. Farah went to work in the Haifa workshops in 1925 as a fifteen-year-old apprentice and is also known as the author of a book on the railway workers of the post-World War I...
(a former member of the Palestine Communist Party
Palestine Communist Party
The Palestine Communist Party was a political party in British Mandate of Palestine formed in 1923 through the merger of the Palestinian Communist Party and the Communist Party of Palestine...
) who split away from the Palestine Arab Workers Society
Palestine Arab Workers Society
The Palestine Arab Workers Society was the main Arab labor organization in the British Mandate of Palestine. Its headquarters were in Haifa where it was established in 1925. From 1937 onwards, its general secretary was Sami Taha...
in 1942. By the end of that year it had recruited around 1500 members, including workers in the Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
area petroleum sector, Haifa port, and the British military camp (Beinin, 2001, p. 124).
FATULS concentrated on "shopfloor" issues and argued that only socialist revolution would address the workers' needs by liberating Palestine from the imperialist strangelehold (Younis, 2000, p. 67). It was allied to the National Liberation League.
The Federation's newspaper al-Ittihad was distributed widely and read by the overwhelming majority of labor (Aruri, 1972, p. 34).
The organization was banned following Jordan's annexation of the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
in 1950 (Connell, 2001, p. 237).
See also
- Palestine Arab Workers SocietyPalestine Arab Workers SocietyThe Palestine Arab Workers Society was the main Arab labor organization in the British Mandate of Palestine. Its headquarters were in Haifa where it was established in 1925. From 1937 onwards, its general secretary was Sami Taha...
- Palestine General Federation of Trade UnionsPalestine General Federation of Trade UnionsThe Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions , also called the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions or Palestinian Trade Union Federation , is a national trade union center in the Palestinian Territories...
- HistadrutHistadrutHaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...