Cabinet approves draft law on trade union freedoms

The cabinet approved a draft law Wednesday that would grant more freedom to trade unions if approved by the ruling military council.

The draft law aims to codify the principles of the revolution, among them improving workers' rights and achieving social justice, reported the state-run MENA news agency.

The cabinet is expected to submit the draft law to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has the power to pass laws in the transition period. The SCAF may also introduce some amendments to the draft law before giving its final approval.

The Manpower and Immigration Ministry proposed last August to issue a law on the freedom of trade unions after consulting independent rights and labor organizations.

Observers believe that the law will help workers have equal rights and achieve many of their demands.

The trade union law would give workers the right to establish and form independent unions without any restrictions from the government, Kamal Abbas, the general coordinator of the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services, told Al-Masry Al-Youm in August.