Tag: unions

Solidarity from Britain

Posted on By 3arabawy

The UK Public and Commercial Services Union has sent a message of support to the Egyptian independent trade union activists:

The Public & Commercial Services Union would like to send a message of support and solidarity to our colleagues in RETA for your dispute over the social welfare fund and the right to organize peacefully to improve terms and conditions for property tax collectors. We hope that today’s strike action is successful in achieving your aims.
Hugh Lanning
PCS Deputy General Secretary
Tom Flynn
Executive Officer – DGS Office

UPDATE: Another message of solidarity:

Fraternal greetings and hopes for a successful and just victory in your dispute. I know our national union is sending a message of support but please also accept the best wishes of the PCS Central London (property) Valuation Branch ( we do similar work to yourselves); our members have been impressed by the courage and determination you have shown in your struggles for workers’ rights.
Andy Reid, on behalf of PCS Central London Valuation Branch and in a personal capacity as a member of the PCS National Executive Committee

Tax strike temporarily suspended

Posted on By 3arabawy

It’s 7:15pm now. The tax collectors have just voted to temporarily suspend their action, after intervention from senior police officials trying to mediate between them and the govt. Already the numbers of demonstrators had gone up to 2000, and more buses were ready to take off from other provinces (mainly Upper Egypt), and security officials were working around the clock to diffuse the situation.

I think many including myself would have loved the sit-in to continue. But let’s remember it’s the tax collectors themselves, not journalists or activists, who have the last say in how things will go. What happened today, by all measures, was a STRONG show of force, and it won’t be the last national strike. The fight is not over.