DWRC - Democracy and Workers' Rights Center

The Democracy and Workers' Rights Center (DWRC) is a Palestinian non-governmental, non-profit organization, not affiliated with any political party. DWRC was established in 1993 by a group of trade unionists, lawyers, academics and political figures in Palestinian society to defend workers’ rights and promote social justice. Founders feature Hassan Barghouthi (General Secretary of the International Federation of Workers' Education Associations in Arab Countries) [ [http://www.aslef-ramsgatebranch.com/LABOURSTART-LATEST-NEWS Labourstart news] ] , and Ghassan Khatib (former [http://www.mop.gov.ps/en/about/previous_mini2.asp Planning Minister] and longtime journalist). [ [http://www.bitterlemons.org/previous/bl200605ed21.html#pal1 Bitterlemons] ] DWRC is centered in Ramallah with a branch office in Gaza City.

ignificance

In 2000 the Palestinian President ratified the first Palestinian Labor Law. However, according to DWRC the Labor Law lacked teeth, [Bilal Barghouthi. [http://www.google.com/search?q=DWRC+labor+law&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:official&client=firefox-a "Study on Palestinian Labor Disputes and the Role of Courts"] DWRC, 2007] ["Palestinian Workers Claim Their Rights in Gaza Amidst Violence and Political Chaos"] ; AdvocacyNet News Bulletin 94, March 29, 2007] and DWRC lawyers and organizers acted to work with Palestinian Authority legal experts to introduce amendments; late in 2005, DWRC successfully achieved Palestinian Legislative Council acceptance of an alternative Palestinian Labor Law. [ [http://advocacynet.org/resource/457 "On the Record - Palestinian Civil Society Under Siege"] ; "A voice for the Voiceless," Volume 15, Issue 6: Breaking the Cycle of Dependency, June 27 2001]

Existing large-scale trade union federations in Palestine have long since ceased to be democratic according to some observers; the Fateh-dominated PGFTU has not had elections since 1981. [Joost R. Hiltermann. "Mass Mobilization under Occupation: The Emerging Trade Union Movement in the West Bank"; MERIP Reports, No. 136/137, West Bank, Gaza, Israel: Marching toward Civil War (Oct. - Dec., 1985), pp. 26-31] [Joost R. Hiltermann. "Behind the Intifada"; Princeton University Press (January 25, 1993)] [Nina Sovich. "Stifling Democracy within Palestinian Unions"; "Middle East Report," No. 215 (Summer, 2000), pp. 2-3] DWRC, as an independent NGO which is not itself a trade union, has been at the forefront of calling the PGFTU to account [Nina Sovich. "Palestinian Trade Unions"; "Journal of Palestine Studies," Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn, 2000), pp. 66-79] within the Palestinian media as well as internationally, and has organized hundreds of democratic worker committees, pushing for a fully transparent Palestinian labor movement. [Sos Nissen. [http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/51/066.html "Anything but Workers in the Palestinian Trade Unions"] ; "News from Within," April, 1996] [ [http://advocacynet.org/resource/744 "Palestinian Workers Claim Their Rights in Gaza Amidst Violence and Political Chaos"] ; AdvocacyNet News Bulletin 94, March 29, 2007]

In 2007, DWRC organized the Federation of Independent & Democratic Trade Unions & Workers' Committees in Palestine, launching the first large-scale conference of democratic, independent Palestinian trade unions in decades, representing more than 50,000 female and male workers. [ [http://advocacynet.org/resource/962 "Establishing Conference for the Coalition of Independent and Democratic Trade Unions & Workers' Committees in Palestine July 25, 2007"] ; Advocacynet, July 25, 2007]

References

ee also

* [http://www.dwrc.org/ DWRC site]
* [http://advocacynet.org/page/dwrc Advocacy Project]
* [http://www.dol.gov/ilab/Webmils/countries/Gaza_Strip/Child_Labor.htm US Department of Labor]
* [http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/credib/2003/0410pales.htm DWRC and LAW scandal]
* [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/AllDocsByUNID/4a771a6075f2a47a49256baa0005f7f0 ReliefWeb - Operation Defensive Shield damage]
* [http://www.hopesandfears.org/ Filming of DWRC talk]
* Nina Sovich. "Stifling Democracy within Palestinian Unions"; "Middle East Report," No. 215 (Summer, 2000), pp. 2-3
* Nina Sovich. "Palestinian Trade Unions"; "Journal of Palestine Studies," Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn, 2000), pp. 66-79
* [http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:x9Ykf19F12EJ:www.ifwea.org/archive/DWRC_appeal_eng.rtf+%22democracy+and+workers'+rights+center%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=18&gl=us&client=firefox-a IFWEA archive - Dispute between the Independent Workers' Committees Federation and the PGFTU]
*"Palestinian union hit on all sides", "Al-Jazeera", 14 July 2007, 04:26
*Sos Nissen. [http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/51/066.html "Anything but Workers in the Palestinian Trade Unions"] ; News from Within, April, 1996
* [http://undp.advomatic.com/en/node/15986 "Unemployed workers demonstrate against poverty"] Stand Up, Take Action - UNDP site, October 17, 2007
* [http://www.stopthewall.org/downloads/pdf/S-F2.pdf "Statements in Occasion of Workers' Boycott Call"] ; Stop the Wall Campaign, February 11, 2007
* [http://advocacynet.org/resource/962 "Establishing Conference for the Coalition of Independent and Democratic Trade Unions & Workers' Committees in Palestine July 25, 2007"] ; Advocacynet, July 25, 2007