Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The "Gongo" union that seceded from the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain (GFWTUB) is to disunite after withdrawal of four unions affiliated with it.

DHL labor union announced its withdrawal from the "Free Federation" to join the 3 unions that withdrew: Bafco, Bahrain Airport and BAS, amid news that more unions will follow suit, according to a local newspaper.

The Bahrain Free Labour Unions Federation was established amid the purge and oppression campaign launched by the government against civil society in response to the February 14, 2011 uprising and all those involved, including the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain, who had called for a strike to paralyze several private governmental institutions during the anti-government political protests during February and March of 2011.

In 2012, the government enacted a decree specifically for splitting the trade union class and targeting the general federation by allowing multiple trade unions, leading up to the formation of another federation, whose activities and actions would rival that of the General Union, both at home and abroad.

However, its efforts to weaken the general federation failed. The general federation was one of the rare institutions in the country that officially maintained its existence until today, after the dissolution of most of the political and human rights organizations. The authorities have failed to delegitimize it abroad, especially among the governing international organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), and have also failed to render the "Gongo" union a legitimate rival to the general federation in the eyes of these bodies, which have refused to recognize it.

Inside Bahrain, the end of the free union could soon be announced and it could be completely dismantled, even before it completes its seventh year, after a series of new withdrawals, which explicitly highlighted its complete failure to defend workers' rights, and its practices that have reached the extent of repression and threatening violators with security authorities, and standing against the interest of the worker.

The withdrawing unions have openly accused the free union federation leadership of marginalizing and excluding some trade unions and even interfering in the internal affairs of trade unions, and of turning against all other trade unionists who have opposing views.

The last of the withdrawing unions, DHL, said in a lengthy statement that their withdrawal was due to many reasons related to the "hostile treatment" of the free union federation leadership towards the federation.

The general federation accused the Gongo union of following an approach of threats against union leaders who disagree with them, taking advantage as they admit of their relations with leaders and officials in the state.

It considered that the mentioned union had disrupted trade union work, prioritized personal interests, sabotaged the international relations of trade unions and caused financial deficits.

It also said that despite the generous government support the free union federation receives annually, its trade unions have not benefited from it, adding that there are no headquarters for it, no investment project, and that it is being accused of serious financial abuses.

How can a federation established by a thief like Ali Al-Binali, who has been accused by the Bahraini judiciary of charges of fraud and theft in many cases, last?

The pro-government federation did not find any other way but to use its puppets to respond to the withdrawals. Vice-President Bassim Al-Thawadi accused outside parties, whom he didn't name, of being behind the crisis, claiming that they had an intent to control trade union work.

Instead of using respectable professional language, the Gongo union issued a statement in which it degraded the importance of the unions that had withdrawn, mocking the small number of its members, claiming that they have no weight, and stressing that the union will stay.

Amid the plight of Bahraini workers, the collapse of this union may be the first way to unite the workers' class again. It is a distorted, artificial and alien entity for trade union work, and has nothing to do with the working class. What was built on falsehood should not remain.

Arabic Version