Strike leaders from Suez Steel are still being pursued by police, after the factory’s owner, Lebanese businessman Rafiq Daou, demanded their arrest and prosecution. Two workers from the factory were arrested by the Egyptian Army on 12 August, after armoured cars and riot police surrounded the plant. They were later released on bail, but four of their colleagues were arrested by the police on 20 August.
Striking workers in Egypt are facing increasing state repression. Charges against strikers often include accusations of criminal damage, assault against police officers and “aggression against the right to work”. A law brought in by the military in the wake of Mubarak’s downfall in 2011 sets stiff penalties for strikes including large fines and imprisonment.
What you can do:
- Rush messages of protest to General Abd-al-Fattah al-Sisi, Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, demanding the immediate release of arrested workers from Suez Steel, and call for all charges against them to be dropped. Email General al-Sisi here mod@afmic.gov.eg copy in Kamal Abu Aita, Minister of Labour (minoffice@mome.gov.eg) and the Egyptian Ambassador to the UK (eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg) or your country.
- Send messages of solidarity to the Suez Steel workers by leaving a comment under this article
- Sign the emergency statement against the military crackdown on protests in Egypt
MENA Solidarity Network 
Are those steelworkers Moslem Brotherhood?
I don’t know if they are members of the Muslim Brotherhood or not. In any case, the Brotherhood has been relentlessly hositle to strikes by workers (even when their members and supporters have been involved). For us, what’s important is that these are workers facing repression by the army and police because they organised a strike to demand their rights.
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I support the movement led by the workers of ‘Suez Steel’ from the bottom of my heart. It is a common phenomenon that every state takes stand beside the capitalist class and repression is the weapon used against the working class.It is not surprising that the Egypt Govt. and police moves on the same way. I wish that the workers will be determined to continue their struggle not only for the benefit of themselves but also for the working class in general. In this context I want to know the detail of the workers struggle held in your country. I want to write and publish the same in our country. May I get the information specially the working class movement and the present situation of your country at the earliest ?