The new Egyptian Workers & Trade Unions Watch report cites 16 labor conflicts in the last week of April.
Victims of slum fire protest in Tahrir Sq
At least 100 residents from Qale’t el-Kabsh slum, in Sayyeda Zeinab–whose houses were burnt down last March, and who were left with no compensation from the government that unleashed its security forces on the victims using sticks and teargas–demonstrated today in Tahrir Square.
The protesters tried to gather in front of the People’s Assembly, but were chased by the security forces, so they descended on el-Qasr el-Eini St. A Socialist activist who witnessed the protest told me he (and a group of activists) bumped around 3pm into the crowd, largely composed of baladi women, near the American University of Cairo. He said the women were chanting repeatedly: “Ya Hokouma Weskha! Ya Hokouma Me3arassa!” (You dirty government! You government of pimps!) and “El-sahafa fein? El-ta3rees ahoh!” (Where’s the press? Look at the pimps!) while pointing at the dozens of State Security agents who appeared.
Scuffles continued till the protesters were cornered in front of the KFC joint facing Tahrir by the CSF troops and plainclothes SS officers. The police promised the residents the government would find a solution to their problems by Sunday. The protesters were then allowed to leave one by one out of the security cordon, only to reassemble in downtown again, and march over Bab el-Louq, repeating the same chants, joined by a number of Kefaya activists.
Karama Party activist and photographer Peter Alfred was briefly detained for 15 minutes by security agents inside the entrance of one of downtown’s buildings.
The residents are threatening to march over the parliament on Sunday if the government promises turn out to be bogus.
Public transportation strike ends
Public Transportation Authorities workers suspended their strike in Cairo today after a compromise agreement was reached with the government.
State Security agents, accompanied by an Assistant to the Interior Minister, met with the strikers in Nasr City Stations (Fateh and Nasr), at 4am today to tell them that the government agreed to raise their percentage of ticket sales from 2.5% to 6% (the workers were initially demanding 10%). This means out of each LE1 bus ticket, the workers (including drivers, ticket collectors and maintenance workers) will receive 6 Piasters. The security officials also told the workers that the government has decided to allocate LE13 millions in the new July budget to implement all the rest of the strikers’ demands.
The workers accepted the compromise, and public buses started moving again in Nasr City around 5:30am.
Two hours later, the drivers and workers in Cairo’s other stations (Sawwah, Amiriya and Gesr el-Suez) went on strike demanding the same gains their Nasr City brethren had received. The strike lasted till 10:30am, and was only suspended after security officials assured the workers that the agreement applies to them too.
And in Ramses Underground Metro Station, around 30 cashiers and supervisors staged a sit-in today, demanding:
1-Increasing their bonuses, and basing the increase on the job ranking, not the “mood” of the management, as the workers put it.
2-Receiving allowances for working on weekends (Fridays and Saturdays), similar to what state employees in other industries get.
3-Receiving hazards allowances, since the cashiers deal daily with millions of dirty banknotes they receive from the citizens.
4-Receiving a percentage of the ticket sales.
5-Receiving part of the income generated by the advertisements put up in undgerground metro stations. (Apparently this used to be the case, but the government stopped this practice.)
Some of the photos I took of the sit-in could be found in this Flickr set.
And here’s a short video clip:
I left the Ramses Station around 1pm, and the negotiations were still going on. I’ll try to update the posting later with more details.