Kuwait Times

Published Date: May 30, 2010
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) strongly protested what it called "the government's erroneous decisions to limit the freedoms of worker unions" at a press conference yesterday. Chairman of the KTUF, Salem Shabeeb Al-Ajmi, said that the government's attempts to limit the freedoms of workers' unions will be faced with protests and demonstrations as they are the right of the people and granted to them in Kuwait's constitution.

The government has adapted this policy and it has been in practice for years now. The government is trying to put restrictions on the work of unions by taking away their right to hold protests and their right to express their opinion. They don't want to hear you speak. How is this constitutional? Isn't this an honest manifestation of the government's disrespect to the constitution?" he asked.

Al-Ajmi noted that Kuwait's different worker unions have always played an important role in the development of the country. He said that to undermine unions is to undermine the workers, the people who are the main component of a civilized country. "Holding strikes is a given right. It is a means of self-expression, granted to the people in all civilized nations," said Al-Ajmi.

The Cabinet last week banned all worker unions from holding strikes and sit-ins, saying that it delays the country's development plans, disrupts the workflow of government bodies and reflects negatively on Kuwait. The KUTF, however, claims that putting restrictions and limitations on unions goes against all human rights laws and regulations.

The KUTF press release issued yesterday added: "The Trade Union Federation has worked hard to give Kuwait a better image in the international community by contributing to issues related to human rights and human trafficking. Shackling the freedoms of such an institute in a democratic country taints the image of Kuwait.