Anniversary of the founding of the General Union of Algerian Workers – Al-Hiwar Algerian newspaper

A history of struggle and leadership

Today, Algeria commemorates the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the General Union of Algerian Workers, a prominent historical milestone during which the workers’ struggle, their pioneering role in supporting the liberation revolution, and their effective contribution to the building and construction phase are recalled, in light of the social and economic gains achieved.

This occasion constitutes an opportunity to renew the covenant with the values on which national union work was founded, and to recall the pivotal position of workers in defending national sovereignty and contributing to building a just social state. The founding of the union on February 24, 1956 was a pivotal date in the course of the national movement, as it embodied an early union awareness that coalesced around the goals of the liberation revolution, and played a pivotal role in mobilizing the labor bases to support the decisions of the revolutionary leadership, and its presence was notable during the eight-day strike (January 28). -February 4, 1957), which was a decisive step in the struggle for liberation.

This union organization also had a prominent impact in the post-independence period, as it contributed to the battle of building and construction with the help of Algerian workers, which makes this anniversary a moment of gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices made by this group for the sake of the nation and the consolidation of its gains.

In this context, the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, is keen to praise the loyalty of Algerian workers and trade unionists to their country and their stand in defense of the state and its institutions, stressing that their sacrifices will remain a source of inspiration for the values ​​of patriotism and honor, similar to the symbolic martyr Aissat Idir and the militant trade unionist Abdelhak Ben Hamouda and their companions who were martyrs of the liberation revolution and martyrs of national duty.

The President of the Republic stressed that “victorious Algeria is proud and counting on its working daughters and sons, and they are contributing with the same commitment and loyalty to the homeland, at this stage and from their various positions, in setting the features of a modern economic model.”

The seventieth anniversary of the founding of the Union comes in a national context characterized by the continued consolidation of the social character of the state, enshrined in the statement of November 1, 1954, as Algeria, under the leadership of the President of the Republic, continues to strengthen this option through a series of decisions with a social dimension aimed at supporting purchasing power and achieving greater social justice.

Among the measures taken to improve the standard of living of citizens is raising the guaranteed national minimum wage from 20,000 DZD to 24,000 DZD, thus enhancing the income of the workers category.

The category of retirees also benefited from increases of 10 percent for those who receive a pension equal to or less than 20 thousand dinars, and 5 percent for those whose pensions exceed this ceiling.

In the context of supporting working women, maternity leave was extended to five full months, with the possibility of adding 50 days after the legal period, to reach 165 days when necessary, reflecting a trend towards enabling women to reconcile their family and professional responsibilities.

The education sector also witnessed a number of measures, including reducing the retirement age for teachers and professors in the sector by three years, and the integration of 82,410 contract professors after a previous process that included 62,000 professors, bringing the total number of integrated professors to 144,410 professors in various educational stages, as an embodiment of the care given by the public authorities to this sector and in appreciation of the efforts of the educational family in preparing future generations.