Around 23,000 workers at Misr Spinning in the industrial town of Mahalla al-Kubra in the Egyptian delta began indefinite strike action on 15 July. Over three thousand workers stayed overnight in the factory.
The workers are demanding a share of the company’s profits for the past twelve months and the resignation of General Fouad Abd-al-Alim Hassaan, the chairman of the public sector Holding Company for ٍWeaving and the company’s chief negotiator, Ahmad Maher. Hassaan was appointed in May 2012 as a replacement for Mohsin al-Gaylani, whose removal had long been demanded by the Mahalla workers.
They also want the resumption of deliveries of cotton to the factory and new investment in the textile sector.
The Mahalla textile workers played a key role in igniting the strike wave before the revolution.
What you can do:
- Send a message of support to the Mahalla strikes via menasolidarity@gmail.com
- Take a solidarity picture with this sign and post on facebook.com/mena.solidarity, put on twitter (@menasolidarity) or email to us
Panos Garantziotis
July 16, 2012
Victory to the strike of Mahalla textile workers! The greek worker’s movement is with you!
Klaus Negro
July 18, 2012
SOLIDARITY from the German Vereinigung Selbstorganisierter ArbeiterInnen (Union of self organized workers) “Solidarität”. Alone you will lose, together, you will win!
Sasha Simic, USDAW Shop Steward, C133 Central Books branch
July 19, 2012
“Victory to the strikers at Malhalla! Victory to those who fight for justice for the workers and peasants of Egypt! Yours is the true face of the Egyptian revolution. You fought Mubarak’s dictatorship when your bosses were still kissing his hand. You fight for a living wage and the dignity of working people. You fight for social justice. Teach your bosses once again to be afraid of the collective power of the workers of Malhalla.
Your victory will inspire workers in Egypt and workers across the world. “