Hossam el-Hamalawy
The year 2006 witnessed 222 labor protests (sit-ins, strikes, demos), according to Al-Masry Al-Youm.
“The word ‘sit-in’ has become one of the most popular terms in Egypt’s political scene,” the paper wrote, “while some experts are expecting a popular uprising in the not so distant future.”
I co-authored an article with Joel Beinin for MERIP on the recent wave of labor strikes in the textile sector, and the prospects of political change in Egypt.
From Ikhwan Web:
Five thousand workers of the Alexandria-based United Arab and Polvara Spinning and Weaving Co. staged a labor strike, starting from last Saturday, protesting at not increasing shares, discriminating between workers and executives, not paying profits, canceling incentives for working on Fridays and sick leaves and not excluding advisors and those on pension.
The strike included workers of the first, second, fourth and fifth shifts, to be joined later by the third shift workers who broke the company gate and joined their colleagues in the strike.