Journalist friends called up Labor Minister Aisha Abdel Hadi’s office and the General Federation for Textile Workers.. and they were told by both govt entities (yes including the union which is run by Mubarak’s NDP) that the strike is “illegal.”
This is a green light for the police to move against the strikers.
The strike is still going on, and the workers are steadfast. There are unconfirmed reports that the corrupt head of the state-sponsored Factory Union Committee has been hospitalized after the workers taught him a lesson.
I’m receiving also more reports from comrades in different locations. Workers For Change mobilized for a demonstration yesterday at the South Giza Grain Mills, in solidarity with the Mahalla strikers. There was HEAVY security presence, as State Security agents were literally everywhere in the factory, to prevent the demo turning into a strike.
Solidarity protests are expected in Kafr el-Dawar pretty soon.
I called Kareem el-Beheiri in Mahalla. He says the strikers’ numbers have exceeded 20,000. The Central Security Forces siege that started last night has now been withdrawn. Instead the factory is surrounded by State Security Police agents. CSF are expected to show up pretty soon though.
Kareem managed to take photos of the early hours of the strike. And as one notice, just like the case of the December 2006 strike, there’s strong presence of women workers from the garments sections.
Here are the workers’ demands put on piece of paper:
1- Impeaching the company board chairman
2- Impeaching the Factory Union Committee officials
3- Linking the monthly incentives to a fixed percentage of the monthly basic salary
4- Increasing the food allowance to match in the increase in prices
5- Raising the salaries to match the increase in prices
6- Paying the workers 130-day as part of their annual share of profits
7- Solving the transportation crisis
8- Paying the workers housing allowances
And fantastic pic of a worker who’s carrying a banner that reads: “We will not be silent. We are not afraid.. We can’t even find the bread.”
And here are videos:
More reports from other labor activists inside the company should be coming soon.
My heart and thoughts go out to the Mahalla strikers.