in 2001 abbas commented on the increasing privatisation of employment and the role of professional committees. he said, "approximately 50 per cent of the number of trade union members who make up the current trade union structure belong to and vote for 'professional committees.'" drivers in the helwan district, abbas said, are members of a professional committee, as are the construction workers in shubra. "these are committees that have few functions. for example, a driver will only go to his union when getting his licence because he needs their signature. we cannot consider these committees or their members active components of the trade union structure or the working class." he noted the changing nature of political alliances regarding unions: "and this time around, the left has changed its election programme from calling for the protection of the public sector to focusing on the protection of workers' rights, irrespective of who the management is."