In a statement released today, railworkers’ union leaders in the UK hit out at the Egyptian army’s intervention in the train drivers’ strike. Striking drivers were issued letters telling them that they had been conscripted into the armed forces. Read more here about what you can do in solidarity. 

Statement on the Egyptian railworkers’ strike

We condemn the actions of the Egyptian armed forces and the Egyptian government during the recent strike by railworkers, in particular the attempt to break the strike by conscripting drivers to service in the armed forces Transport Directorate. Egypt’s railworkers have long been at the forefront of the struggle to win workers’ rights. Their strike in 1986 was brutally crushed but they still won a court case affirming the right to strike.

It seems that Mohamed Morsi’s government, which came into power as a result of the revolution which toppled Mubarak, is intent on adopting the dictator’s old methods against workers attempting to win better pay and conditions. We salute our comrades on the Egyptian railways and demand an immediate end to all victimisations of striking workers.

Bob Crow, General Secretary, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
Steve Hedley, Assistant General Secretary RMT
Unjum Mirza, London Transport Region RMT
Peter Pinkney, President RMT
11 April 2013