in november 2006 abbas dismissed the significance of general federation of trade unions (gftu) elections, arguing that public sector industrial workers overseen by the gftu were increasingly few. he recommended switching focus to uninionized private sector workers: "the minister of investment has openly stated that except for four companies the little that remains of the industrial public sector is for sale...the real battle is to fight for trade union pluralism, to build a new and independent trade union structure."