General Union of Algerian Workers
Encyclopedia
The General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA, French
: Union Générale des Travailleurs Algériens, Arabic
: الاتحاد العام للعمال الجزائريين) is the main Algerian trade union
, established February 24, 1956 with the objective of mobilizing Algerian labor against French rule. It was banned shortly afterwards, in May, but continued to operate clandestinely, playing a notable role in the eight-day strike of 1957 and establishing a samizdat
newspaper, L’Ouvrier algérien. It became effectively subordinated to the ruling party, the Front de Libération nationale
(FLN), during the subsequent years of independence under a single-party socialist government, while welcoming the nationalization policy the government pursued.
In 1989, the government began to pursue a program of political liberalization, and a multiparty electoral system was rapidly installed. The UGTA took advantage of the new environment to establish some distance from the government, and struck in March 1991, obtaining various concessions including price fixing
. However, this political experiment was interrupted in 1992 by the military, following an Islamist victory in the polls, and the Algerian Civil War
began. The UGTA denounced the new government policy of economic liberalization under International Monetary Fund
guidelines, forced on it by the untenable debt situation. However, it sided strongly with the military against the generally anti-socialist Islamists, and its leader, Abdelhak Benhamouda
, was assassinated by the latter on January 28, 1997.
In 2000, the organization established a working group
, the National Commission of Working Women, to address issues related to women's position.
The organization is currently led by Abdelmadjid Sidi Said.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Union Générale des Travailleurs Algériens, Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: الاتحاد العام للعمال الجزائريين) is the main Algerian trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, established February 24, 1956 with the objective of mobilizing Algerian labor against French rule. It was banned shortly afterwards, in May, but continued to operate clandestinely, playing a notable role in the eight-day strike of 1957 and establishing a samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
newspaper, L’Ouvrier algérien. It became effectively subordinated to the ruling party, the Front de Libération nationale
National Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
(FLN), during the subsequent years of independence under a single-party socialist government, while welcoming the nationalization policy the government pursued.
In 1989, the government began to pursue a program of political liberalization, and a multiparty electoral system was rapidly installed. The UGTA took advantage of the new environment to establish some distance from the government, and struck in March 1991, obtaining various concessions including price fixing
Price fixing
Price fixing is an agreement between participants on the same side in a market to buy or sell a product, service, or commodity only at a fixed price, or maintain the market conditions such that the price is maintained at a given level by controlling supply and demand...
. However, this political experiment was interrupted in 1992 by the military, following an Islamist victory in the polls, and the Algerian Civil War
Algerian Civil War
The Algerian Civil War was an armed conflict between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups which began in 1991. It is estimated to have cost between 150,000 and 200,000 lives, in a population of about 25,010,000 in 1990 and 31,193,917 in 2000.More than 70 journalists were...
began. The UGTA denounced the new government policy of economic liberalization under International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
guidelines, forced on it by the untenable debt situation. However, it sided strongly with the military against the generally anti-socialist Islamists, and its leader, Abdelhak Benhamouda
Abdelhak Benhamouda
Abdelhak Benhamouda was an Algerian trade unionist. Born in Constantine, he was secretary-general of the General Union of Algerian Workers from 1990 until his assassination.- Notes and references :...
, was assassinated by the latter on January 28, 1997.
In 2000, the organization established a working group
Working group
A working group is an interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers working on new research activities that would be difficult to develop under traditional funding mechanisms . The lifespan of the WG can last anywhere between a few months and several years...
, the National Commission of Working Women, to address issues related to women's position.
The organization is currently led by Abdelmadjid Sidi Said.