Read more on the background about the strike here

Update: 27 September – strikers have returned to work after winning some concessions. The solidarity letter will remain open for signatures until the end of September.

Statement in solidarity with Kenana Sugar Company strike – September 2020

“We stand in solidarity with workers at Kenana Sugar Company in Sudan, who have been on strike since August demanding basic trade union rights, increased wages, better working conditions, the removal of figures from the regime of deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir from the company, spending on health and education for workers’ families and the local community and the reinstatement of 34 colleagues who were sacked for taking part in the uprising against al Bashir in 2019. We are concerned to hear that workers’ demands to be able to elect their own representatives appear to have been ignored by the Sudanese government and by the Company.

We call on the Sudanese Government to ensure that workers’ rights to organise and strike are respected and urge it to use its influence as a major shareholder within the company to meet workers’ demands without delay.”

Initial signatories include:

Ian Hodson, National President, Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, UK; Karen Reissmann National Executive Committee member (pc) UNISON, UK; Polly Smith National Executive Committee Member, (personal  capacity) Unison, UK;Carlo Morelli UCU Scotland President Universities and Colleges Union; Dave Auger Regional international officer UNISO; James Cavalluzzo Education Officer British Columbia Government & Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU-Canada); Eric Segal Branch chair Unite; Miriam Scharf International solidarity officer Newham district NEU; Anne Alexander Member, Cambridge UCU executive committee UCU; Professor Joel Beinin, Stanford University; Reem Yunis AEU Australian Education Union; Magdi El-Gizouli; Eddie Thomas Un-unionized gig worker; Stephen Oren; Doug Seidman; David Mandel retired Former NULAW and Newspaper Guild; Evi Vasileiou; Jonathan Bloch; Sheila McGregor NEU; Khalid Hamad; Rebeca Perez Worker Unam; Ahmed Ahmed; Karen Pfeifer; Ralph A Tebbutt Retired NASUWT (Retired); Christian Haasen member Verdi – Public Workers Union Germany; Saoirse Fanning; Shaun Harkin; David Ring, member Unite; Declan Finn, member Equity,  S. I. P. T. U., Jim Cohen, member Unite; Roland Riachi

Names will be published online and sent to the Sudanese Embassy in the UK. If you leave your details we will contact you with updates about this campaign and other similiar campaigns organised by MENA Solidarity.

Add your name to this letter

Please note names will not appear automatically. The above is a subset of signatures that have already been collected.