A powerful wave of workers’ struggles has rocked Algeria in recent weeks. Shelagh Smith investigates how battles in the workplaces have evolved alongside the Hirak protest movement. More than two years since the Hirak protest movement erupted in Algeria against a fifth mandate for President Bouteflika and the regime which has ruled Algeria since independence…
Francesco De Lellis, Gianni Del Panta, and Mattia Giampaolo report on the battle by workers in Egypt to save the Helwan Iron and Steel Company from liquidation Workers at the Iron and Steel Company of Helwan, on the southern fringes of Greater Cairo, spent the tenth anniversary of Egypt’s January 25 Revolution staging a massive…
Over a thousand workers at Kenana Sugar Company in Sudan are starting their second month on strike to demand basic trade union rights, increased wages to offset the spiralling cost of living, the removal of figures associated with the old regime from the company and the reinstatement of 34 workers sacked for taking part…
A year after the revolution forced out dictator El Bashir Sudan’s activists are bracing themselves for the pandemic, report Anne Alexander and Irang Bak. This is an article from the current issue of Middle East Solidarity magazine – help us continue our work by donating £2 for a digital copy online A year ago Sudan’s…
Read our new briefing on the role of teachers in the mass movements for change in the Middle East, prepared for the NEU teachers’ union conference just before Easter. Download a printable version of this leaflet Teachers_MENA_2019. Teachers on the frontline of the struggle for change As a new wave of popular protests and uprisings…
By Mirfat Sulaiman Students from the Faculty of Education at Aden University in Yemen walked out of classes during protests on 15 January. Lecturers and students jointly rejected the sacking of the new principal, Dr Mohammed Al-Fakeerh. The students said the real reason for the government’s decision is that Dr Al-Fakeerh rejected its chaotic sale…
Locked-out workers at the National Vegetable Oils Company in Egypt, which is owned by giant multinational agrobusiness Cargill, are appealing for solidarity. They have spent more than 120 on the picket line after being forced out of the factory and sacked for taking part in a peaceful protest against worsening working conditions and management bullying…
Striking postal workers in Egypt have received a message of support from their colleagues in France. The Union syndicale Solidaires (SUD) branch in the postal service, call centres and telecommunications sent the message after hearing of the arrest of postal workers’ leaders in Alexandria last week. What you can do: Read the full message of…
Leaders of the post workers strike in Alexandria were seized from their homes in dawn raids on Tuesday 25 March. Ismail Gabr, Haitham Uthman, Ayman Hanafi, Hani Said and Hisham Abd-al-Hamid were arrested at 1am by the police. According to the labour lawyer Mohammed Ramadan, the five men were due to be brought before prosecutors…
The first joint strike action by medical professionals in Egypt’s public health service has won the backing of thousands of doctors, dentists, pharmacists and vets. According to figures compiled by the Higher Strike Committee in the Doctors’ Union, 80% of staff eligible to strike in the Health Ministry Hospitals joined the action over the weekend.…
