for freedom, democracy and social justice.” Split in the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain In 2012, a split in the labor movement in Bahrain following civil unrest resulted in the establishment of the Bahrain Labour Union Free Federation. The president of the Bahrain Labour Union Free Federation criticized the GFWTUB for being too political and "not being related to labour anymore." However, this split was criticized by labour experts and trade unionists in the GFWTUB as a move to weaken the Bahraini labor movement, noting that several of the 12 unions representing workers at major companies in Bahrain have alleged ties to the Royal family. Newspapers reported employers punishing employees who sought to unionize at work under the GFBTU umbrella. Additionally, there were reports that some workers were pressured to form unions under the government-supervised federation. In 2019, the Bahrain Labour Union Free Federation that seceded from the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain disunited after the withdrawal of four affiliated trade unions. Work on the protection of migrant workers The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions has conducted a survey in 2020 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant workers in Bahrain. The General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) in 2019. References Further reading ILO experts to launch labour market project Gulf Daily News, 12 October 2006 Project to lay ground for labour reforms, Gulf Daily News, 12 October 2006 Bahrain: Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights (2006) ICTFU, 6 January 2006 Bahrain trade union movement shows the way for region, ICTFU, 8 April 2004 Trade unions in Bahrain Trade unions established in 2002 National federations of trade unions 2002 establishments in Bahrain International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions