From the Algeria Solidarity Campaign ONE YEAR AFTER the inspiring events of the “Arab Spring” that swept away western-backed dictators, the Algerian authoritarian regime -still in place- is desperately calling for the Algerian people to go and participate massively in the up-coming electoral masquerade on May 10th. At the same time, this indifferent and disdainful…
Thousands of Tunisians marched to mark May Day. A large demonstration gathered outside the Tunisian General Federation of Labour (UGTT) headquarters before marching through the capital city. Another demonstration was called by the recently-established Union of Tunisian Labour (UTT). Rising levels of unemployment are fuelling workers’ anger. On 30 April hundreds of unemployed protesters from…
On the second May Day since the fall of Mubarak hundreds of activists from the independent unions and the Left took to the streets in Cairo and other cities across Egypt. Local demonstrations took place in Alexandria, Al-Mansoura, Zagazig, Suez among other cities. The statement below explains what they are demanding: ‘May is the month…
NUT activist Sara Tomlinson responds to a message of greetings sent by Hala Talaat of the Egyptian Teachers’ Federation. ترد سارة توملينسون ناشطة في النقابة العامة للمعلمين في بريطانيا ومعلمة في لندن إلى رسالة تضامنية من هالة طلعت من إتحاد معلمي المصري اسمي سارة توملينسون وأنا معلمة في لندن وأنا أيضاً عضو في النقابة العامة…
Hala Talaat, a founding member of the Egyptian Teachers’ Federation sent this message to colleagues in the National Union of Teachers in the UK. She talks about the experience of organising the mass strike by teachers in September 2011, which brought thousands of Egyptian schools to standstill, and about why the independent teachers’ unions are…
MENA Solidarity Network is delighted to announce that the National Union of Teachers passed the motion below at its 2012 annual conference. The motion calls for the union to affiliate to MENA Solidarity Network and support our campaigns in solidarity with workers in Egypt and across the Middle East, as well as affirming existing policies…
A message from Cairo bus workers to colleagues in Unite on the buses in London who are discussing strike action over their bonuses. A recent strike by 45,000 bus workers in the Public Transport Authority in Cairo won large increases in a lump sum on retirement, and promises by the government to look into workers’…
Solidarity greetings from National Union of Teachers activists for the Egyptian teachers’ protest on 31 March (English below) إلى الأخوة والأخوات من نقابات المعلمين المصرية تحيات طيبة من بريطانيا نحن أعضاء في للجنة التنفيذية للنقابة العامة لمعلمي بريطانيا ونرسل أطيب تمنياتنا لكم لنجاح إعتصامكم في 31 مارس. من الواضح أن مطالبكم بزيادة الميزانية التعليمية هي…
Video made by teacher activists calling on colleagues to join the protest on 31 March Independent teachers unions have called for a million-strong protest on 31 March in front of the Cabinet Offices demanding a rise in the state budget for education to 6.5% of GDP. The Egyptian Teachers’ Federation said in a statement: “Every…
يرسل المعلمين المضربين في لندن تحيات التضامن إلى عمال هيئة النقل العام في القاهرة. يضرب 70 الف مدرس وأستاذ الجامعة عن العمل اليوم إحتجاجاً على هجوم الحكومة البريطاينة ضد نظام المعاش. يقول نيك جرانت من نقابة المعلمين في بريطانيا “تسرق الحكومة أموالنا بعد المعاش ومن مرتباتنا اليوم . إضرابنا اليوم معركة في نضال مستمر من…
MENA Solidarity Network 