in may 2011 abbas celebrated international workers' day (also known as "may day"), the international socialist commemoration of workers' rights reform begun in the united states. abbas deemed that year's celebrations “historic” for marking a break from the etuf. abbas also praised the then newly formed egyptian federation of independent trade unions (eituf). may day celebrations focused on the free will of egyptian workers to form independent trade unions, free from state control, and the dismantling of the etuf.