I received news that a strike had started in the Telephones Equipment Company in Helwan yesterday evening and ended today.
The company, which produces phone sets, was privatized either five or six years ago (My source was not sure about the exact date). The total labor force is more than 1000, I was told. It includes three groups of workers: Those who originally worked at the factory before it was privatized; those who were hired after the privatization; and those who are working without contracts as they haven’t been instated yet.
The ones who went on strike was the second group only, numbering 316 workers, demanding their five (or six)-year unpaid raises and bonuses. The strike ended today after the management promised to look into the strikers’ demands, but nothing concrete has been agreed up on, as far as I understand.