May Day marked for 37th time

Addis Ababa, May 2, 2012 (WIC) - May Day  marked in Ethiopia for its 37th time in Ethiopia on the 2nd of May, 2012  under the theme “Workers right to organize is part of Human Rights”.

The Ministry of Workers and Social Affairs urged workers to make use of their rights to organize in labor forces and maintain their benefits  and speed up national growth.

Speaking on an event organized in connection with May Day in Addis Ababa, Abdulfetah Abdulahi, Minister Workers and Social Affairs said workers should exert maximum effort for productivity of the nation in cooperation with the government and their employers through maintaining industrial peace.

President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), Kassahun Follo for his part said the fact that workers are organized in labor forces benefits both workers and employers.

However, he said, some investors and foreign companies are seen resisting the right of workers to be organized which is against the Constitution and international conventions.

According to ERTA, there are over two million workers in Ethiopia out of which only 400 thousand are organized in labor forces, it was indicated.

The international Workers’ Day is marked for 123rd time internationally.