Updated 3 October: the sit-in at the Ministry of Labour was forcibly broken up by the police, but the workers are continuing their campaign for justice, organising a demonstration at the General Prosecutor’s office (above) in protest at police brutality.

By Haitham Mohamedain – original Arabic here

Dozens of sacked workers have begun a sit-in in the office of Minister of Labour, Kamal Abu Aita after they were attacked by members of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation [the old government-backed unions] when they went to the ETUF headquarters to collect hardship payments of 500 pounds which had been promised to them by Abu Aita during a meeting on Sunday.

The workers, who were sacked by Kabu [textiles firm], Alexandria Cement, Petrojet, Cadbury and Shibin Spinning, had organised a protest outside the Ministry of Labour on Sunday, calling for their reinstatement, at a meeting with Abu Aita, the minister had promised that they would receive 500 pounds from the ETUF emergency funds until they returned to work.

What you can do:

• Rush messages of solidarity to the workers’ sit-in. Leave a comment under this article or send us a message on Facebook