Egypt 1956

Synopsis

Foundation of the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU) in 1956 was one means by which the Egyptian state pursued an ideological commitment to organized labor in the Arabic-speaking region while integrating an active trade union movement into an evolving corporatist state. The state's commitment to organized labor varied over time and differed in the various parts of the Arab world; much of this variation can be attributed to changing Egyptian policies in the region.

A militant workers' movement undermined the British colonial presence in Egypt and Egypt's monarchy. Industrialization had increased union memberships, which almost tripled between 1947 and 1953. In particular, growth in the textile, tobacco, and sugar industries resulted in emergence of strong labor interests in those industries. Most of the strikes at the time were organized against these three industries.

Union-led strikes contributed to...