Sudanese Official Warns Against Leftist Influence in Workers' Union

Nafie Ali Nafie, representative of the Sudan Government is visiting Japan to seek greater economic cooperation between the two nations., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

WEDNESDAY 7 AUGUST 2013

Sudan’s Nafie warns against leftist infiltration of workers’ union

August 6, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese presidential assistant, Nafie Ali Nafie, has warned the Sudanese Workers Trade Unions Federation (SWTUF) against infiltration by what he called shadow unions and emergency committees, accusing the left-wing parties of exploiting labor issues for “narrow” partisan interests.

Nafie, who was addressing the 23rd anniversary of the National Workers Day, said that left-wing and secular parties were blurred when they their popular base started eroding and they will do everything possible to turn the clock back.

He pointed that the secular and leftist blocs were fed up with freedom, democracy and elections, saying that they would not accept the results of the democratic process unless it brings them to power.

The Sudanese official went on to say that the unification of the trade unions had hit the left-wing parties yet they will continue their efforts to find a foothold.

The head of SWTUF, Ibrahim Ghandour, for his part criticized some ministers for ridiculing the current conditions of the civil service, stressing that its reform begins and ends with the trade unions.

He said that workers remained steadfast but they didn’t get the right reward neither in money or moral terms, disclosing that 39% of the Sudanese people enjoy the government health insurance.

Ghandour added that the minimum wage has increased 29 times since the Supreme Council for Wages was created, stressing that they have always resorted to the law to restore workers’ rights.

He added that the SWTUF staged strikes only when it was forced to do so, pointing to the limited financial resources of the unions.

Ghandour noted that the number of trade unions has declined from 671 to only 13 following the unification process, adding that the working capital of the Workers’ Bank has risen from 8 million pound (SDG) to 125 billion pound.

He also mentioned that SWTUF had disposed of all its economic investments except for one company following the implementation of the economic liberalization policy.

(ST)