transport archives — Page 2 of 11

Egypt’s labor movement under attack

Posted on 24/06/201126/02/2021 By 3arabawy

In the first three weeks of June, at least 22 workers and farmers have been interrogated by the military prosecutor and/or referred to military courts, according to the Awlad el-Ard NGO.

On Saturday, 10 am, activists will be holding a protest in front of the State Council, in Dokki, in solidarity with Ali Fetouh, the president of the independent union of public transport workers, who is undergoing trial over charges of “inciting strikes.” Fetouh has also received international support from trade unionists in the UK.

The continued crackdown on the labor movement is taking place while the International Labor Organization is awarding our military junta by taking Egypt off its black list. For the ILO, it seems, military tribunals and anti-strike laws mean nothing other than the Egyptian workers are now free.

Transport strike leader to go on trial!

Posted on 28/04/201124/02/2021 By 3arabawy

Ali Fetouh, a leading independent trade unionist at the Cairo Public Transport Authority, whose role was central to their 2009 and February 2011 strikes, will show up on 7 May at a penal court at the State Council, accused of “agitating for strikes and publicly talking about the problems of workers in the media.”

And they tell you “Mission Accomplished” and Egypt’s workers are free now? Tell that to Ali Fetouh!

Public Transport workers declare a free union

Posted on 25/03/201122/02/2021 By 3arabawy

Thursday was a fantastic day! I attended the launching of a new independent union in Egypt, by the BRAVE public transport workers, whose strikes were central to the overthrow of Mubarak. This was followed by another declaration of another free union, by the Manshiyet el-Bakri Hospital workers.

Many of the workers present in the event also signed to join the Democratic Labor Party. More free unions are coming soon, mark my word. The strategy adopted by the radical left is giving full support for the strike wave, pushing strongly in the direction of forming a unified labor party that represents the political interests of the working class in the ongoing revolution and, in parallel efforts, building a new federation of independent trade unions.

This revolution is hardly finished, and we have to work 25 hours a day to liaise between strike leaders and organizers of social protests across the country. We need to create national coordinating mechanisms. The spontaneity of the current strikes is not enough to achieve victory. We need structures, formed by the workers themselves, that will link the different industrial centers together, and reach out to the civil servants and students. Only then we can talk of overthrowing the military dictatorship.