Egypt: Independent unions, revolutionary activists slam conscription of rail strikers

Picture: trade unionists and activists protest in Cairo in solidarity with the rail workers, 10 April (via revsoc.me) Stop the militarisation of the railway! Stop terrorising the train drivers! Joint statement 10 April 2013 (original Arabic here) For the first time, the armed forces have blatantly intervened to break the train drivers’ strike – not…

Egypt: Army tries to break train drivers’ strike

The Egyptian army has intervened in an attempt to break the national strike by train drivers and guards, which has paralysed train services in much of the country for the last three days . Around 100 drivers have reportedly been transferred to the transport directorate in the Army in an attempt to crush the strike. …

Egypt: Video – Iconic images of Mahalla’s revolt

Five years ago today, the textile town of Mahalla al-Kubra rose in revolt against Mubarak, after a strike demanding a rise in the national minimum wage was aborted by the security forces. Tens of thousands took to the streets and faced bloody repression from the regime. Outside Mahalla, thousands of activists organised protests in solidarity…

Bahrain: Jalila al-Salman addresses NUT conference

Vice-President of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association, Jalila al-Salman addressed the annual conference of the National Union of Teachers on 2 April. NUT national executive member Nick Grant told MENA Solidarity Network that Jalila’s speech brought delegates to their feet in a standing ovation.  “She told me at breakfast that she still has hearing and vision…