A delegation of trade unionists representing teachers, transport workers, civil servants and students joined Labour MP Katy Clark today to hand a petition to the Egyptian embassy calling on the Egyptian government to lift th e ban on strikes and protests.

Over 400 leading trade unionists from the UK have signed the petition, including Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the civil servants union, PCS, Bob Crow, leader of the RMT transport workers’ union and Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists. Other notable signatories include John McDonnell MP and members of the national executive of the lecturers’ union UCU.

Katy Clark, MP said “I’m here today at the Egyptian embassy to show solidarity with trade unionists in Egypt. In March we saw legislation passed in Egypt which makes it even more difficult to take part in trade union activities and criminalises protest. Already trade unionists are facing jail and are being persecuted. We need to stand with the Egyptian people in their struggle for freedom and democracy.”

Unjum Mirza, Political Officer for the RMT union’s London Regional Council said: “We are here to show our solidarity with our colleagues in Egypt, and particularly with Ali Fattouh, President of the Independent Public Transport Authority Union in Cairo, and a fellow transport worker. Ali is facing a possible jail sentence for ‘incitement to strike’. When the courts, the media and the government go on the attack against our rights, it is more important than ever that workers across the world stand together.”

Full list of signatories below.

بالعربي

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Statement on the right to strike and protest in Egypt

The Egyptian people showed immense courage in overthrowing the dictator Mubarak. They braved armoured cars and bullets in order to win freedom and social justice. We call on Egypt’s current military and civilian rulers to respect the Egyptian people’s democratic rights, including the right to protest and strike. We call on the Egyptian cabinet to reverse its decision of 23 March 2011 to criminalise protests and strike action and to threaten those ‘inciting’ such action with imprisonment or huge fines. We demand that the British government cease to provide assistance, arms or equipment to the Egyptian army and security forces which could be used to repress strikes and protests.

We send our greetings to our brothers and sisters in Egypt’s independent trade unions, and pledge that we will not stand by while their rights are under threat. We will mobilise whatever solidarity we can to support their struggle for political freedom and social justice.

Petition presented to the Egyptian Embassy, 26 South Street, London

23 June 2011

Katy Clark, MP ;John McDonnell, MP; Mark Serwotka, Public and Commercial Services Union, General Secretary; Bob Crow, Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, General Secretary ;Jeremy Dear, National Union Journalist, General Secretary; Alex Gordon, Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, National President

Aboo Mungroo, RMT Mile End; Alan Crowe RMT Rep Eurostar (Engineering); Ali Canak RMT Trains Edgware Road; Andy Izard, Branch Secretary, East Ham, RMT; Andy Leach RMT Rep Trains Acton Town; Andy Littlechild, Branch Chair, Engineering Branch; Anthony Beese RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Anthony Gandolfi, Chair, Camden No3 Branch RMT; Anthony Humphries RMT Mile End; Antony De Souza, RMT Rep, LU Engineering Branch, RMT; Bill O’Dowd Senior Trains rep RMT; Bill Teale, Branch Secretary, Fleet Branch, RMT; Chris Hutchinson, RMT rep, Tubelines; Clive Protheroe RMT Trains Queens Park; Danny Canavan RMT Rep Fleet; Dave Barnes, Senior TSSA Rep, Network Rail (Carrillion); Dean O’Hanlon, Branch Secretary, Finsbury Park, RMT; Dick Godfrey, Senior RMT Rep, Fleet Branch; Eugene Daly, RMT Rep, Bond Street; Finn Brennan, Senior Aslef Trains Functional Rep; Frank Ajayi RMT Rep (Alstom); Frank Murray RMT Rep, Engineering; Gary Vincent RMT Rep Engineering; Glenroy Watson, Chair, Finsbury Park Branch RMT; Gwyn Pugh, Secretary, Piccadilly and District Line West Branch RMT; Ifzal Ahmed RMT Mile End; Jackie Darby RMT Rep Engineering Branch; Jake Wylie, RMT Neasden Line Control; James Aiken RMT Rep Engineering; Jane Gwyn Branch Chair, Jubilee South & East London Line; Jason Cullen RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Jim Barbour, Vice-President, Fire Brigades Union; John Colville RMT King’s Cross ;John Kelly, Secretary, London Transport Region RMT; Jon Abdullah RMT Rep, SRT; Jon Fosters RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Julie Miller RMT Trains Brixton; Karen Hoult RMT Trains Stratford; Kebba Jobe, Senior RMT Rep, Signals and Service Control (Operational); Kieran Crowe, RMT Rep, Alstom (Golders Green Depot); Kohran Osman, RMT Rep Canary Wharf ; Les Harvey, RMT rep, Signals Maintenance; Lewis Peacock RMT Rep Engineering; Linda Martin, RMT, TransPlant; Lynda Aitken RMT London Bridge; Mac McKenna, Senior RMT rep, Stations Functional Council; Malcolm Taylor, Secretary, Stations Functional Council, RMT; Mark Langridge RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Michael Livingstone, Chair, Piccadilly and District Line West Branch RMT; Michael Mungroo RMT Mile End; Mick Crossey, Secretary, Camden No3 Branch RMT; Mick McDonnell, RMT Stratford Trains Depot; Mohammed Vankard, RMT Leytonstone; Neil Hodgson RMT Trains Acton Town; Oliver New, RMT Acton Town Trains depot (ex Council of Executives member); Pat O’Brien, Senior Safety Rep, RMT; Paul Bell, RMT Arnos Grove Trains Depot; Paul Jackson, Branch Secretary, LU Engineering, RMT; Paul Kennedy, RMT Camden Town; Paul O’Brien Company Council RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Paul Schindler Senior Industrial RMT Rep; Peter Trotter, RMT Safety Rep, London Bridge Group; Rahul Uddin, RMT Mile End; Ross Marshall, Treasurer, London Transport Regional Council, RMT; Roy Carey, RMT rep, MATS Council; Russ Clarke Senior RMT Rep (Tube Lines); Steve Hedley, London Regional Organiser, RMT; Taimoor Afzal, RMT Mile End; Tommy Comerford, RMT Mile End; Tony Carter-Leay, Chair, Fleet Branch RMT; Tony Gandolfi, Branch Chair, Camden, RMT; Unjum Mirza, Political Officer, London Transport Regional Council, RMT; Vaughan Thomas, President, London Transport Region RMT; Vic Morgan, RMT Rep, Leytonstone; Vik Parmar, RMT Rep, Central Line West Branch, RMT; Will Hiscock RMT Trains Queens Park; Will Reid, Senior RMT Rep, Trains Functional Council; G. Hepple, CWU, Area Delivery Rep, Newcastle; T. Clark, CWU , Area Delivery Rep, Durham & Darlington; B. Miah, CWU, Area Delivery Rep, Leeds (Inner); M. Gray, CWU, Area Delivery Rep, Leeds (Outer); A. Ring, CWU, Area Delivery Rep, Hull; S. Midgley , CWU, Area Delivery Rep, Bradford; G. Hodkinson, CWU, North East Divisional Representative; P. Clays, CWU, North East Regional Secretary; D. Dowling, CWU, Area Delivery Rep, York; R. McGuire, CWU, North East Divisional Representative; Marianne Owens, PCS, Vice-Chair, PCS Wales, Group Executive Committee of the HMRC; Kerry Fairless, PCS, ; Dave Owens, PCS, DWP Group Executive Committee; Zita Holbourne, PCS, National Executive; Anna Owens, PCS, PCS R&C Euston Branch Secretary; Steph Owens, TSSA, TSSA executive committee; Professor Malcolm J. W. Povey, UCU, President, University of Leeds University and College Union, UCU National Executive Member; Tony Phillips, UNISON, Branch Secretary, UNISON LFEPA; Ben Morris, NUT, Joint Branch Secretary, Sheffield NUT (National Union of Teachers) branch, England; Keith Chadwick , Unite, Branch Exec. Burnley branch Unite the Union; Sam Turner, Hastings, UK; Steve Campbell, Dorset Socialists; Alexander Anievas, University of Cambridge, Andy Coles, Manchester, Linda Jones; Rufus George, GMB, convenor Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton (personal capacity); Jon Woods, UNISON, Portsmouth City UNISON (Local Government) Branch Chair; Farid Bakht; Professor Simon Clarke, Univeristy of Warwick; Ritch Whyman, , Organizer SEIU Local 2 – Justice for Janitors; Alex Callinicos, King’s College London, Professor of European Studies; Nick Howard, UCU, Retired; Bobby  Noyes, Southampton and South West Hampshire Trades Union Council, President; M. ElMasri; Reham Maklad; Martin Bove, Unite, Ian Crosson, UCU, UCU membership sec, Tower Hamlets College; Alex Bradley, Artist; Steve Goldstone, SWP; Geoff Dexter, PCS, Regional Learning Organiser Midlands PCS; Jock Morris, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees , Chair; Rob Jackson, Unison, Camden Unison Steward; Jim Hutchinson, Retired teacher UK, Richard McEwan, UCU, joint branch secretary tower Hamlets College; Margaret Mary Page,Raymond Morell, UNITE, UNITE Senior representative, SELEX GALILEO UK, Capability Green, Luton, UNITE Secretary, SELEX GALILEO UK, National Combine, UNITE, Chair, London and Eastern Aerospace Committee; Louis Bayman, UCU, KCL; Sean Wallis, UCU, Branch Secretary; Jim Warner, NUT, Joint Secretary, Dudley NUT; Martin Lynch, NUT, Joint Secretary, Dudley NUT; Pauline Bradley, UNITE; Ben Drake, UNISON, Branch Chair, York City UNISON; Alison Gander, UCU, National Executive, Nelson and Colne Branch Chair; Jon Gamble, Watford TUC, Secretary; Matt Saywell, GMB, Secretary, Holborn Branch; Ken Muller, NUT, Assistant Secretary, Islington Teachers Association (NUT); Mark Abel, UCU, Branch officer, University and College Union, University of Brighton, UK; James Eaden, UCU, National Executive and Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council; David Fagan, UCATT, Liverpool; Philip Marfleet, UCU, Co-ordinating Committee, University of East London; Paul Brandon, UNITE, And Right to Work Campaign; Darren Perry, Student, Mel Bewens, OT, Lizzie Woods, Trade union organiser, Andy Ridley, UNISON, R. Eborall, UNISON, D. Lee, J. Lee, Student, H. Lee, Student, A. Livingstone, GP (Medical Doctor), K. Boomla, GP (Medical Doctor), S. King, NUJ, Toby Abse, UCU, Marianne Johansen, NUT, Paul McGarr, NUT, Sam Worthington, , Steph David, UNISON, Carly Grundle, UCU , WKC; Faye Mahony, UCU , WKC; Pete Green, UCU , WKC; Ioanna Trabant, UCU , UCL; Bettina Trabant, UNISON, Sarah Creagh, UNISON, Hilary Mellor, Pensioner, David Mellor, Pensioner, David Plews, NUT , School rep; Jack McSweeney, Student, Holly McSweeney, Student, Mary Eade, NUT, Tanya Murat, UNISON, Tony Power, UNISON, Martin Mulchrowe, UNISON, Ken Muller, NUT, James Cameron, CWU, Elizabeth Evans, UCU , Kingston Jim Nicholl, , Omer Esen, , Martin Rosser, UCU, Jude Schapter, UCU, Pete Bickell, UCU, Steven Burak, Climate Alliance, Liam Cullen, UCU, Paul Holborow, UCU, Xanthe Whittake, NUJ, Gareth Jenkins, UCU, Sarah Ensor, USDAW, Sally Campbell, NUJ, Fero Firat, SWP , Hackney; M. Bektas, SWP, Pat Keith , UNISON, Truh Browne, UNISON, Carmen Rose-Locke, Trafalgar Square occupation, Kishan Viswanthan, Trafalgar Square occupation, Martin N. Blake, , Mick Kavanagh, PCS, Mark Baxendale, UCU, Rick Saull, UCU , Branch Secy, Queen Mary, University of London Philippe Choonara, UNISON, Arthur Ives, NUT, Jenny Sutton, UCU, Chair London Region FE; Simon Hester, Prospect, HSE Branch vice-chair, Jeni Reid, PCS, Paul Sharrat, King’s College; London, Ralph Scott, Greenwich Green Party, John Cooper, Education Activist Network, Amy Leather, , Michael Dance, NUT , Rep, Wanstead High School, Jeremy Latham, NUT , Rep, Wanstead High School, Bob Archer, NUT, President, Redbridge, Maggie Leo, UCU, Carol Bennett, NUT, Mark Campbell, UCU, National Executive and London Metropolitan University, Christina Paine, UCU, Niall MacLaughlin, , Pat Carmody, CWU, Richard Ward, Charlie Hore, UNISON, Colin Wilson, UNITE, Daniela Manske, UNITE, Matt Ball, UNITE, Susan Aitowaziz, NUT, Martin Powell-David, NUT, Mariko Okabe, UNITE, C. Delistathi, UCU, Steve Sparks, UNISON, Anne Drew, SENCO in primary school, Margot Lindsay, UCU, CoR Rita McLaughlin, London Friend, LGBT, Alan Gibson, NUJ, Chair, London Magazine Branch, Sal Dhillon, Ghadar International , Chair; Eleanor Lukow, UNISON, Shop steward UNISON Ealing, Phil Allen, NUT, Alison Stirling, NUT , Rep, Tom Exley, SWP, Annette Mackin, Student, Julian Vaughan, UNITE 85, Chair UNITE 85, Graham Fuller, Worker, B Atskal, Ghadar International, Donna Guthrie, UNISON, Tim Woodcock, NUT, Jackie Turner, UNITE, Tom Monks, Socialist Party, Jordan Blake, Socialist Party, Gary McFarlane, NUJ, Morag Gillie, UNISON, Rep UNISON HA Branch; Lucy Mundy, UNISON, Rep UNISON HA Branch;Ruth Saunders, PCS, Rep PCS, DWP HQ, Gary Upton, NASUWT, Officer and , Secretary Reading TUC; Tony Hodges, UCU, Morgan O’Brien, Lewisham Pensioners’ Forum, Alexander Rose, Union president, Niaz Faz, PCS , EFRA group London branch; Keith Crane, PCS , EFRA group Assistant Sec, Dominic McFadden, PCS, National Exec, Andy Lawson, PCS, DWP North London Branch Sec, Gill George, UNITE , Health Sector National Committee, Jerry Hutt, GLPA, Andy Reid, PCS, National Executive, Sean Vernell, UCU, National Executive, Rachel Edwards, PCS , CLG; Julie Waterson, UCU, Rep; R Inglis, , J Gamble, PCS, DCLG Rep; Deborah Kaplan, UNITE, Andy Greene, IDPAC, P Lynch, IDPAC, G Watson, UNITE, Chanie Rosenberg, NUT/ SWP, Theo Michael, , Sabby Sagall, NUJ / SWP, Sadie Robinson, NUJ, Candy Udwin, PCS, Val Pearman, PCS, David Rose, NUT, Richard Payne, UCU, Jane Clinton, NUJ; Sasha Simic , USDAW, Shop Steward; Patrick Ward, NUJ, Sian Ruddick, NUJ, Jonny Jones, NUJ, Emilio Mane, UNITE, Molly Hope, NUT, David Sabbagh, NUT, Salah Kerim, , B Walther, NUT, M Nesbitt, HMRC, Eugene Smith, UCU, Robert Foth, UCU, Miranda James, , Andrew Smith, NUT, Thomas Gardner, SWP, Joanna Burton, SWP, David Hunt, PCS, Kwame Dbaho, PCS, Camilla Royle, , Josh Hall, NUJ, Tom Maltby, UNITE / NUT, Claire Keenan, PCS, James Ramsay, NUT, Frances Cherry, , K. Montague, UCU, Sarah Cox, NUT, Sudeep Sanghera, NITE, Jim Tregale, , Stalin Bermudez, UNISON, Julia Leewood, NUT, Mike Simons, NUJ, Jo Ince, UT, Una Doyle, NUT, Rob Stainsby, NUT, Ian Chamberlain, UNITE, A Crowe, RMT, Oliver Fayers, NUT, A Baisley, NUT, Camden, Ann Monter, NUT, Fiona Millar, NUT, Craig Parr, NUT, Chris Kelly, NUT, S Tomlinson, NUT, Sarah Robertson, , Lis Loebner, UNISON, Mandy Brown, CU, Action for ESOL, Kyle Stebbing, NUT, Jane Walden, NUT, Andy Stone, NUT, Rep, Wandsworth Toby Cadoux, NUT, Jess Edwards, NUT, Jan Nielsen, NUT , Rep, Estelle Cooch, UNISON, Michael Deas, Mark Bergfeld , NUS NEC, J. Simpson, Greenwich Pensioners Forum, John Eccles, TSSA, T. R. Stone, NUT, Simon Shaw, NUT, Andy Brown, NUT, Rep, Newham, Julia Reid, NUT, Rep, Celia Drummond, , Peter Buchanan, Retired Lecturer, Ian Crosson, UCU, Tower Hamlets CollegeKarolin Hijazi, UCU, KCLK. Owens, Retired, Rob Wilkins, National Shop Stewards Network, Miriyam Aouragh (researcher Oxford University); Vitor Santos; Paul Burnham, UNISON, S. Munby, UNISON, Islington; Adam Marks; S. Kerim Roddy Slorach, UCU, St George’s, University of London, Berlyne Hamilton, Sean Figg; Loz Winney; Alistari Farrow, NUS / SWP / GMB; Thomas Rivers, SWP/ NUS / UNISON; Phoebe Watkins, Camden UNISON, Co-Chair; Margaret Moore, NUT Ann Lynch, NUT Rob Jackson, UNISON, Steward, Camden Ben Agbaimoni, UNISON, Sarah McDonald, NUT, M. A. Qa’i; Andrew Harrison; Mary Harrison; Ben Hayes; Naina Kent, UCU; James Conway, UCATT; Yuri Prasad, NUJ; Shereen Prasad, School Student; Jem Lindon, UNISON; Terry Sullivan, NUT, Wellington School, Tower Hamlets; Roderick Colley, London Autistic Rights; S. McGregor, NUT; J. Holoway, IHOOPS; P. Tucker, IHOOPS; Bethan Turner, SWP; Syeda Hussain, SWP; Rhys Williams, SWP; Alys Zaerin, SWP, UNISON; Marieke Mueller; Ruairi O’Neill, SWP / UNITE; David Gilchrist SWP/ NUT; S. Hawthorne, SWP; Alison Low, UCU, National Executive, SWP; Kate Hall, UCU; E. Choonara, GMB; Simon Behrman, UCU; J. Jackson, Plan B; T. Izzett, NUT; C. Richardson, UCU; F. Robrizi, UCU; Andy Bain, TSSA