Erfolgreicher Kampf der TextilarbeiterInnen

Der Kampf war nicht besonders lange, aber heftig: mit Vollstreik, Betriebsbesetzung und öffentlicher Kampagne haben 20.000 TextilarbeiterInnen bei MEHALLA ihre Forderungen wegen Prämienzahlungen durchgesetzt. Der (englische) Bericht "VICTORY OF MEHALLA WORKERS" des CTUWS vom 9. Dezember 2006.

VICTORY OF MEHALLA WORKERS

After the protest movement throughout the past week which started by the workers' refusal of what is known as "the Compensation of the Plan" and developed to the announcement of the strike and sit-in for three successive days at the premises of Misr Mehalla Spinning and Weaving Company from 7/12/2006 until this evening; the workers succeeded to obtain what is deemed equivalent to their share in the profits which they called for.

According to the decision issued by the Company's management, as from tomorrow Sunday 7/12/2006 every worker will get one hundred (100) Egyptian Pounds and the wages of three weeks in addition to the decided increase by 5%. In January 2007 they will get their share in the profits as equivalent to the wages of one month and half.

Regardless of the legal form adopted by the government parties represented in the Ministries of Investment and of Manpower and the Holding Company of Spinning and Weaving, and even though that legal form has exceeded the implementation of the decision of the Prime Minister No. 467 of 2006. This is because the wages of 1.5 month were calculated as the workers' share in the Company's profits after writing off the interests on the Company's debts. The workers of Mehalla succeeded to get the rights that they upheld. They got the compensation equal to the wages of two months or even more (the wages of 21 days + the wages of 1.5 months).This is a real victory especially that the workers were offered the basic wages of 21 days according to a collective compromise reached last Thursday by the government parties, the Egyptian Trade Union federation, the General Trade Union of Textile Industries and the members of the Trade Union Committee. But the workers insisted to get their rights completely and their movement continued until they realized this victory.

The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services congratulates the Egyptian workers of Misr Mehalla Spinning and Weaving Company for their organized protests which utilized all the legal mechanisms of pressure according to the constitution and to the international labour conventions. They refused the unfair solution and organized their strike, sit-in and demonstration inside the Company premises. They used all means of protest including carrying "coffins" and exhibiting signs of their claims. It was a strong emphasis of the Egyptian workers right to express their rights, call for their interests and elect their real representatives who are capable of negotiation on their behalf without wasting their rights.

THE CENTER FOR TRADE UNION AND WORKERS SERVICES CTUWS