Leaders of the state-backed Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) continued their attack on Mohamed ElBaradei, potential candidate in next year's presidential elections. "Our village chief is better than ElBaradei," said ETUF Secretary General Ibrahim el-Azhary, claiming that the trade unions will not accept anyone but Hosni Mubarak for president. "Mubarak protects the interests of the workers by keeping their 50 percent representation in parliament, which ElBaradei wants to abolish," he added. El-Azhary also said ETUF would postpone May Day celebrations if President Mubarak could not attend them. "We will not accept anyone else to represent the president." In a related development, the General Assembly of Railway Workers will convene Wednesday and is expected to throw its support behind President Mubarak for another term. Attendees will include Transportation Ministry Alaa Fahmy, Manpower Minister Aisha Abdel Hady and ETUF President Hussein Megawer. The assembly will also discuss ways of modernizing the railway service and resolving labor problems. "We will discuss plans for a social and medical insurance fund for 91,000 railway workers," said Railway Syndicate President Ramadan el-Guindy. "We will also sign agreements with the private sector to protect the rights of workers." Translated from the Arabic Edition.
