Jim Barbour, Executive Council Member of the Fire Brigade Union.
Jim Quinn, Regional Secretary of the Fire Brigade Union.
Jimmy Kelly, Irish Regional Secretary of Unite.
Colm Bryce, SWP organizer.
Tag: workers
Ghazl el-Mahalla workers protest privatization and corruption
In response to a call by the Textile Workers’ League, Ghazl el-Mahalla workers demonstrated yesterday against corruption and privatization, calling for prosecuting their managers who’ve caused LE147 million losses to the company. The workers also repeated some the April 6th demands of a LE1200 national minimum wage, and denounced the increase in food prices.
It was very difficult for me to find out the exact size of the demonstration. Two journalists I spoke with put the number in the hundreds. Three activist sources inside the company and two labor journalists gave me different estimates that ranged from 4,000 to 10,000.
Some notes about yesterday’s demo:
- The protest was spearheaded, yet again, by the female garment workers.
- No matter how big or small the protest was, it marks a huge step forward in breaking the barrier of fear in the factory, following the April police crackdown. As I posted before, political propaganda and agitation on the factory floor have been resumed following the severe setbacks due to the crushing of the April Intifada.
In solidarity with the Egyptian Free Union activists
Message from Belfast, in support of the Egyptian Real Estate Tax Collectors:
Can I express my union solidarity with your struggle.. I have been briefed by Hossam at a meeting in Belfast, Ireland in our union Headquarters and I am in admiration of your campaign for improving working conditions and for union freedom.
I have committed to seeking as much support as possible from within Irish labor and trade union movement, and from my own union Unite.
Jimmy Kelly
Irish Regional Secretary of Unite
