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EGYPT: Mahalla textile plant workers celebrate victory

CAIRO: 27,000 workers of Mahalla textile plant paraded a symbolic coffin of the factory boss, who was forced to resign as part of the deal ending the dispute.

They brought drums and homemade placards, set up a sea of tents in the factory grounds and turned the forecourt of the mill into a week-long mass meeting.

Workers occupied the giant Ghazl al-Mahalla textile plant last week, demanding the government fulfill its promise to pay a bonus equivalent to 150 days' pay.
As well as winning at least 130 days' pay and improved transport to work, the strikers forced the company to sack the factory boss and remove the corrupt head of the local union committee.

Workers at the huge state-owned textile company triggered a wave of strikes after walkouts in December last year won significant concessions from the government and management.

In Kafr al-Dawwar near the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, 12,000 textile workers celebrated the victory in Mahalla by launching their own strike and occupation.

The strike has quickly spread to other groups of workers, including postal workers, transport workers and teachers at the Islamic university of al-Azhar in Cairo.

The Mubarak regime is under pressure from many directions. Ghazl al-Mahalla has 27,000 workers, and whatever happens there sets the tone for the struggle in Egypt.

The government settled the previous strikes by promising that workers' demands would be met in the new financial year. But it did not deliver. Once again Ghazl al-Mahalla workers led the way by taking action to enforce their demands.
Workers are fighting without the backing of corrupt union officials.

Source: Agencies • News Courtesy: BharatTextile.com