page_title: Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Shaher Saed, general secretary of the PGFTU עברית: שהאר סעד, מזכ"ל הפדרציה הפלסטינית הכללית של האיגודים המקצועיים
context_page_description: The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, also called the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions or Palestinian Trade Union Federation, is a national trade union center in the Palestinian Territories. It has an estimated membership of 290,000, and is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation. The union in its current form is historically aligned with Fatah, but other parties have also worked within its organization.
  The PGFTU traces its modern history to 1965, and its origins to the Palestinian labour movement of the 1920s. Its current general secretary is Shaher Saed, who has held the position for many years. The PGFTU has not held open elections since 1981, for which it has been criticized by independent unionists as well as PGFTU insiders.
  A 2007 report in al-Jazeera indicates that the PGFTU receives most of its funding from Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt, as well as from organisations such as the Red Cross. Saed argues in the same report that his union has aided more than 250,000 Palestinians with both work and financial support.
caption: Shaher Saed, general secretary of the PGFTU
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