Publication

This commentary compares the roles played by the Egyptian and Tunisian labor movements in the transition from authoritarian rule and post-transition politics. The author explains that in Egypt control over labor organizations has become a battlefield for competing political forces. In Tunisia, on the other hand, organized labor emerged as an actor in its own right, playing a leading role in the transition. She also puts forth some suggestions on how the labor unions could become more effective representatives of their members’ interests.