Mahalla Laborers Protest Against Neglected Wage Requests

Mahalla Laborers Protest Against Neglected Wage Requests

Workers in the Egyptian Company for Spinning and Textile in Mahalla organized a half-hour long strike yesterday, Thursday, in front of the company”s administrative building in Tal”at Harb Square to protest against the internal conditions the company has reached after losing 144 million pounds, according to the public society”s meeting which discussed the budget.


Mahalla workers also issued a new statement accusing the government of attempting to trap the company in its destructive policy pointing out that the company is being targeted by Egyptian businessmen concerned with selling Egypt.  The statement also pointed out that the company”s labor strikes were what propelled the government to yield to workers” requests and drop 952 million pounds of the company”s debts following the strike on December 7, 2006.  The company had been expected to profit at least 60 million pounds, but revenues decreased as a result of the unsuccessful policies adopted by its administration in addition to its squandering of public money in the company and its office in Cairo.


The workers further questioned the Prime Minister”s, Ahmed Nadhif, promises on April 8 of providing 100 additional buses to facilitate workers” transportation.  The workers moreover suspected the existence of an invisible hand behind the company”s loss to prepare for selling it and its workers.


One of the workers explained that Mahalla spinning workers request an increase in the minimum wage limit as well as the determination of wages according to prices.  Moreover, workers ask that the nature of work count for 35% of the basic wages as stated in decision number 37 issued by the Minister of Investment.