Bahrain Mirror: The Secretary-General of the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU), Abdulqader Al-Shehabi, called on the government to "completely stop the privatization policy, which has proven to be useless and even harmful to the quality of the health and education systems in Bahrain."

Al-Shehabi said in a speech marking the International Workers' Day that "the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions believes that the problem of privatization of the public sector, especially health and education, is an integral part of the exacerbation of the economic and social problem in the country."

He warned of "the danger of fragmentation of major national companies that enjoy great economic weight in our national economy without a clear justification for this fragmentation," explaining that "if the intention is to reduce expenses, this fragmentation is a reason to increase administrative expenses and not reduce them."

He noted that "the best way to reduce expenditures is to rationalize government spending in government agencies and affiliated bodies that suffer from inflation in administrative positions and not the fragmentation of government-owned companies," explaining that "expanding investment by developing new factories and increasing production capacity is the most effective way to increase GDP."

"Addressing the worsening public debt and fiscal deficit in the country's budget shall not be made through adding more burden on citizens, such as taxes and fees, and increasing the costs of provided services, but rather by correcting the conditions of the labor market and structural imbalances of the national economy," he added.

Al-Shehabi called for "activating the national decent work program concluded between the three production parties under the supervision and auspices of the International Labour Organization, which constitutes an important pillar for the social dialogue between all parties who are effective on the social and economic aspects and influential in the national production process."

He highlighted that "Social dialogue requires, at this important stage, the reintroduction of negotiation mechanisms between the administrations of trade unions and the administrations of companies operating in the country and the activation of all platforms for dialogue between the social partners and the economic actors in the country."

On the other hand, Al-Shehabi stressed that "the Palestinian cause always occupies the Union and we regularly follow its smallest details and will not hesitate to support it," stressing "the firm right of the Palestinians to self-determination and lift injustice against them in order to enjoy tranquility and stability in their homeland."

Arabic Version