General Workers' Union of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro

UGTSARIO, Spanish for "Union General de Trabajadores de Saguia el Hamra y Río de Oro"' (The General Workers' Union of Saguia el Hamra and Río de Oro), is the labor organization of the Front Polisario.

While founded before the Spanish withdrawal from Western Sahara, and initially an important part of Polisario, its importance has diminished as a result of the mass flight of Sahrawis in 1975-76.

There is little need for a labor union in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, where unemployment is near total, and what work exists is organized by the camp administration. The movement therefore appears largely dormant in its labor union role until an independent Western Sahara would provide it with a normally functioning labor market again.

It remains a part of the Polisario structure, though, and has internal representation at several levels. It also campaigns internationally to attract attention to the Sahrawi cause, and enjoys good relations with many European trade unions. It supposedly also has members in the Moroccan administred parts of Western Sahara, although it can of course perform no regular labor union services there.

ee also

*UNMS
*UJSARIO