30th Anniversary of the General Union of Algerian Workers UGTA
February 24, 1956 is a memorable date in the history of the national liberation struggle and the Algerian trade union movement. Eighteen days after the creation of the UGTA, its general secretary, Shahid Aïssat Idir, was to specify, during a press conference, the reasons for the creation of the union organization.
“Our central union was born from the desire of Algerian workers to put an end to the exploitation exercised on them by the colonial administration and to replace it with a democratic and social regime. Furthermore, our revolution can only be realized within the framework of a national and independent workers’ organization.”
During the Soummam Congress, the National Liberation Front indicated that “the new body differs in all respects from those of other organizations, notably the choice of supervision, leaders, healthy orientation and solidarity in Algeria, North Africa and the rest of the world”.
On a national scale, the role of the UGTA consisted of raising awareness and mobilizing Algerian workers around the national cause by fully integrating its action into the political struggle and the organization of strikes paralyzing the colonial economy.
At the international level, the national union is firmly committed to raising international awareness of the Algerian question while defining the objectives and political-social content of the Algerian Revolution among the trade union movements of the world. While soliciting their moral and financial support, the UGTA strengthened friendship and expanded its relations with trade union organizations around the world by participating in numerous union and worker meetings, conferences and demonstrations.
“Our central union was born from the desire of Algerian workers to put an end to the exploitation exercised on them by the colonial administration and to replace it with a democratic and social regime. Furthermore, our revolution can only be realized within the framework of a national and independent workers’ organization.”
During the Soummam Congress, the National Liberation Front indicated that “the new body differs in all respects from those of other organizations, notably the choice of supervision, leaders, healthy orientation and solidarity in Algeria, North Africa and the rest of the world”.
On a national scale, the role of the UGTA consisted of raising awareness and mobilizing Algerian workers around the national cause by fully integrating its action into the political struggle and the organization of strikes paralyzing the colonial economy.
At the international level, the national union is firmly committed to raising international awareness of the Algerian question while defining the objectives and political-social content of the Algerian Revolution among the trade union movements of the world. While soliciting their moral and financial support, the UGTA strengthened friendship and expanded its relations with trade union organizations around the world by participating in numerous union and worker meetings, conferences and demonstrations.