One year has passed since Mohamed Morsi accede the presidency of the republic while Egyptian workers are still awaiting the fulfillment of his promises to realize social justice. All what the workers get from the president and his group is their concern with a file to empower the brotherhood and strengthen its involvement in the state institutions without the slightest attention to the workers and their living conditions. One year has passed and we did not hear about a plan to confront unemployment. We did not find a response from the president to the demands of the pensioners or to the complaints of the workers who were forced to accept early retirement. We did not hear from him when will the privatized companies be returned to state according to court sentences. We did not hear from the president and his group that budget allocations for health and education will be increased. Moreover, when the workers protested and exercised their right to strike calling for their fair rights, the media of the president and his group attacked the workers’ strikes and accused their noble trade union leaders through the state-owned press and TV channels. Worse then ever, they used the mosques to provoke T.U. leaders and confronted the strikes with unprecedented violence. Dr. Morsi and his government were not biased to trade union freedoms. On the contrary, they brought a minister whose main concern was to implement the Brotherhood’s plot to destroy the independent unions and dominate the official trade union Federation by removing Mubarak’s people and appoint the Murshid’s people instead of them.

One year has passed and the exercise of trade union freedoms, whose principles were announced, was met on the ground by severe difficulties and serious violations by the devilish alliance between the Egyptian Trade Union Federation “ETUF” and the government administrations whose officials remained unchanged with a number of businessmen and private companies. By the end of the year, Egypt was put on ILO’ black list of the worst nations which do not observe the workers rights.

During the fist year of the president from the Brotherhood the Egyptian working class was subject to a number of quantitative and qualitative violations unprecedented in the history of Egyptian workers. Quantitatively, the workers protests calling for their minimum legal rights (the right to work, the right to fair wages, etc.) were met by security confrontations at almost a daily level. Judicial prosecutions of labour leaders on the basis of the “law to protect the revolution” issued by president Morsi on 22^nd November 2012. This law equates the striking workers with the killers of the revolutionaries and criminalizes the right to strike.  

Qualitatively, the government the government did not deal with the workers’ protest movements in a manner that suits a post-revolution government. It confronted such protests with defamation of the strikes and the T.U. leaders through state-owned press and condemnation of strikes and sit-ins as acts in contradiction with religion. In addition, the regime sanctioned hiring thugs by businessmen to attack the striking workers with live bullets.

In this report, the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services “CTUWS” observed the state of trade union freedoms in Egypt during the first year of Morsi’s regime. The report exhibits the state of trade union freedoms at two levels:

The First level: the legal structure which restricts trade union freedoms, and

The Second Level: violations and assaults against trade union and labour leaderships.

A Tyrannical Legal System:

At the level of the legal structure, the year passed leaving the laws which restricted trade union freedoms without change. Moreover, these laws were utilized to suppress trade union freedoms and to implement the most important project for the Brotherhood, namely the empowerment project.

• The year has passed while the law on trade union freedoms is still shelved. Although the Brotherhood participated during the first months after the revolution (during 2011) in discussing the draft law, and their repeated announcement that they support the workers’ right to establish their independent unions in complete freedom, they started gradually to withdraw from their promises as soon as they put things under their control. The Brotherhood gained the majority of votes in the 2012 parliamentary elections, nevertheless the draft law which remained for months in the drawers of the Military Council was lost in the corridors of the People’s Assembly with its Brotherhood majority. This indicates that the Muslim Brotherhood stood against trade union freedoms and the workers’ right to establish independent unions. The same stand continued after the election of Mohamed Morsi a president of the republic. The president could have issued the law, but there were several equivocations which continued for one more year until the Standards Committee of the ILO announced on 6 June 2013 putting Egypt again on the Individual Cases List (known in the media as the black list) in the framework of the102 Session of the ILO Conference. The Egyptian case was the worst amongst the listed five states which do not observe the international agreements they had ratified particularly the ILO conventions No. 87 and No. 98 on trade union freedoms, the right of association and to organize freely in independent and democratic trade unions.
• In August 2012 before the president completes his second month, the government started to talk about a new emergency law to confront the thugs and gangsters. Article No. 16 of the law cited the cases which fall under it. They include “aggression on the right to work”. It is almost the same provision cited in Law No. 34.2011 issued by the Military Council in April 2011 called: Law on Criminalization of Aggression Against the Right to Work and Sabotage of Establishments” according to which tens of workers were referred to military courts. Eleven workers from Western Alexandria District were imprisoned for 6 months because they demonstrated against the president of the District and called to reform the local councils and to prevent the military from taking leading positions in the local councils. In addition, the law, which was expected to confront violence and crime, restricted public and private freedoms and returned the extraordinary trials to the country without any need for them. It restricted the rights of assembly, movement, demonstration and sit-in. The law allowed the return of military trials for civilians.
• On 6^th September 2012 the Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade issued a decision that banned any sit-ins and strikes in all the institutions that fall under the ministry. According to this decision: “it is prohibited for workers in the Ministry or in any of the institutions which belong to it to sit-in, organize protests or demonstrate during official work hours, go in strike or make any action which may delay work. The violators will be subject to legal liability. The decision stipulated that anyone who claims the right to strike should call for it through the legal methods and to support his call with the necessary documents. Heads of the different sectors and bodies should refer to the legal departments anyone who violates the provisions of the first article of the decision and should submit a memorandum on the violators in order to suspend their employment – according to the law provisions - for the benefit of the investigation whenever necessary!!
• On 22^nd November 2013 President Mohamed Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration in which he appointed himself a semi-god under the pretext or protecting the revolution. According to this declaration, the president immunized the decrees and laws he has issued since his access to the president from appeals before the courts. The president, who took the oath to observe the law and the constitution, announced himself above the law to exercise tyranny in a manner unprecedented in Egypt in the modern age. He was not satisfied with dominating the administrative and legislative authorities, but tried by his constitutional declaration to dominate the judicial authority and immunize the Shura Council and the Constitutive Committee both of which are controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood against any judicial sentences. Then he removed the Public Prosecutor and appointed another one. This was a striking blow to the judiciary authority which was the only remaining defense for the Egyptian people against the ruler’s tyranny.
• On the previous day and under the pretext or protecting the revolution and its objectives, the president, based upon his constitutional declaration, issued the Law on the Revolution Protection which comprises 6 articles. The law stipulated the establishment of a special prosecution office to protect the revolution. The second article of the said law gave this prosecution office the right to imprison perpetrators of the crimes listed in the fifth article of that law for a period of six months. As it was expected, the fourth article of the said law gave the workers the lion’s share of these threats and made them equal to the killers of the revolutionaries and the enemies of the revolution. The fourth article of that law mandated the prosecution of the revolution protection or whoever is delegated by the public prosecutor or members of the public prosecution to investigate the crimes mentioned in Article One of that law and the crimes listed in Chapters 7, 12, 13 and 14 of Book 2 and Chapters 15 and 16 of Book 3 of the  Penal Code. It is worthy noting that the crimes listed in Chapters 15 and 16 of Book 3 of the  Penal Code are related to the prohibition of or strikes (or the so called aggression against the right to work). A person who goes on strike or calls for strikes shall be subject to 2 years of imprisonment and a fine of 100 Egyptian Pounds. The president found that the presence of such articles in the penal code (which the workers were calling for years to wipe them out) is insufficient, but he added salt to injury by giving the special prosecutor to put a worker in jail for 6 months before he stands before the court !! and made a worker who exercises the right to go in strike equal to the martyrs’ killers, the corrupted and the remains of the former regime.
• Without the attention of anyone, the present issued, on the same day of his issuance of the constitutional declaration on 22^nd November 2012, his decree No. 97/2012 amending the Law on Trade Unions No. 35/1976. This decree was not announced. Were surprised to find it published in the issue No. 47 (bis) of the Official Gazette of 24^th November 2012. It had been approved by the cabinet at its session held on Wednesday 17^th October 2012. The amendments were tailored to force board members of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation “ETUF” and its General Trade Unions who reached the retirement age to retire. They were to be replaced (according to a decision from the concerned Minister) by candidates of the previous elections who have got the highest votes. As the majority of the board members of “ETUF”, its General Trade Unions and many plant unions were elected by acclamation (i.e. there was no voting), the new board members were selected by ETUF’s board - which was controlled by the Brotherhood through its domination policies – in collaboration with the Minister of Manpower and Immigration who is a member of the Brotherhood and the ruling party. Thus, the Muslim Brotherhood secured its control on ETUF.
• On 25^th December 2012 the Muslim Brotherhood issued their constitution which was rejected by millions of Egyptians with the workers in the core. Prior to the promulgation of the Constitution, the workers were not allowed to participate in the Constituent Assembly which drafted the constitution. The Muslim Brotherhood monopolized the representation of workers in this Assembly. The constitution reflects the hostility of the Brotherhood, its president and allies not only for trade union freedoms but also for the economic and social rights. It disregarded the workers right of association and the freedom of expression, attacked the Supreme Constitutional Court and destroyed the state of law. Instead, it establishes by its Article No. 219 the state of the Faqeeh and evaded by its Article No. 33 the principle of equality between the citizens. It deleted the provision which was established since the 1923 constitution to abolish discrimination on the basis of sex, religion language or creed. Instead, the prelude contained eloquent sentences on economic and social rights whereas Article 14 disregarded the most important pillars of social justice by linking wages with production. Such an article opens the door for businessmen and company board directors to evade the worker’s right to fair wages pro rata the rise in prices and living costs. Article 52 destroyed trade union rights by giving the state the right to dissolve trade unions. It is an irregular provision which is unseen in any constitution in democratic countries. It violates ILO Conventions 87 and 98 which the government of Egypt had ratified and which protect the workers right to establish their trade unions. Articles 64 and 70 take us back to the age of forced labor. Article 64 stipulates the possibility of imposing forced labor by the power of law. Article 70 allows child labour before completing the age of compulsory education in jobs suitable to the child age. We do not know what are the jobs that suit children!! The two articles are against all the international conventions which prohibit forced labor and child work.
• On 6^th December the law No. 105/2012 was issued amongst the package of laws to protect the revolution. It stipulated heavy penalties on street mongers who represent the biggest percentage of informal employment. They became subject to fine, imprisonment and confiscation of goods. The law was issued without any dialogue with the stakeholders and without any regard to their living conditions, the nature of their work or the difficulties which they face without any humanitarian rights. The law stipulated imprisonment for1 – 3 months because they disregard public order, delay traffic and occupy the road. The fine was EGP 5 in the old law, but it was increased to EGP 1000 to EGP 5000 if the crime of occupying the road is repeated !!
• On 7^th June 2013 and due to all the reasons mentioned in this report, and within the framework of the 102^nd session of the ILO Conference, the ILO’s Standards Committee put the name of Egypt on the individual cases list(known in the media by the ‘black list’) which do not observe workers rights. Egypt became amongst the worst 25 countries contained in the list which do not observe the international conventions which they had ratified especially Conventions Nos.87 and 98 on trade union freedoms and the workers tight to establish independent and democratic unions freely. Egypt was on the list of individual cases from 2008 to 2010 due to its repetitive violations of workers rights and closing the premises of the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services “CTUWS”. The post-revolution government undertook to the international community to observe the workers rights. Dr. Ahmed Hassan el Boare’i firmer Minister of Manpower announced the Trade Union Freedoms Declaration on 12^th March 2011 in the presence of the director of ILO at that time. The Government of Egypt undertook to issue a new law on trade union freedoms. The name of Egypt was removed from the black list anticipating that the government will fulfill its promise. This was not done until now. The ILO had agreed with the government that the new law would be issued before the last ILO conference. But the government used the same method of the manipulations used by the previous regime. The law was presented to the Shura Council a few days before the beginning of the conference in an attempt to deceive the ILO. But the ILO was not convinced. The Standards Committee discussed the Egyptian case and concluded that the Government of Egypt should issue the law within 6 months and send a report on the trade union freedoms in Egypt next October. Until the new law is issued, the government should provide suitable climate for the workers to enjoy their trade union rights. A copy of the draft law should be sent to the ILO to consider to which extent it is compatible with the international conventions which Egypt had signed.
• On 25^th May 2013 the Shura Council with its majority from the Brotherhood approved the draft law presented by the government to amend the law on trade unions No. 35/1976 to extend the current trade union term for another year. The first article of the draft law stipulated that the current boards of directors which were formed by virtue of Law No. 35/1976 and its amendments shall be extended for one year starting from the end of the current term or until the issuance of a law for trade union, whichever comes first. The call for electing new boards shall take place during the stipulated period or 60 days before the end of this period. This added salt to injury. It shows that the government evades issuing the law on trade union freedoms and gives a longer grace period to allow the Brotherhood to strengthen its hold of ETUF.

Field Violations:

• On 6 June 2012 the Public Prosecution of Mehalla el Kobra decided to keep three leaders from the Independent Union of Post for 4 days under investigation in misdemeanor No. 3240. Each of them was bailed by EGP 500 to avoid attachment due to their participation in a strike in March 2012. The workers emphasized that it was an attempt to force them to waiver a lawsuit they have filed against the Chairman of the Postal Authority No. 1317 Misdemeanor Al Mosky. The chairman was accused of assaulting them.
• On 19^th June 2012 a worker in Toshiba Company in Banha died by electric shock when he was testing one of the company’s products. He was transferred to the Kuwaiti Hospital in Banha. The workers held the management responsible for his death due to lack of occupational health and safety procedures. They emphasized that the company refused to write a report on the real cause of his death.
• On 3^rd July 2012 Al Youm Al Sabe’ Newspaper published press releases for the Brotherhood and their Freedom and Justice Party against the waves of labour protests and strikes. Sr. Mohamed el Beltagy the Secretary of the Party in Cairo and Hassan el Brens Deputy Governor of Alexandria described the workers’ demonstrations in front of the Presidential Palace as a ‘plot to topple President Morsi and show him as incapable to meet their demands’. They said that the demonstrations are plotted by the State Security detectives and that the demonstrators receive money to make trouble in front of the Presidential Palace !!
• On 4th July 2012 the 850 workers of the Nile Spinning and Weaving Company of Sadat City went on strike and announced their sit-in in the company premises. This was after the company’s director had informed them that the company owner Mr. Mohamed Marzouk will not disburse the salary increase which was agreed to be disbursed in July. He also confirmed to them that the company will not disburse the 15% social allowance as decided by the government. He said that only 7% will be disbursed and that the company will cut off the 8% which was given to the workers in January as annual increment. As a result, the company owner dismissed 34 workers including the independent union’s board members. Instead of facing such tyranny, the government of the Brotherhood together with officials from the Freedom and Justice Party in Sadat City succeeded to convince the workers to surrender their dismissed colleagues after a negotiation session that included the president of the City Council, the factory owner Mr. Mohamed Marzouk, the president of the General Trade Union of Textile Industries (ETUF member), Mr. Ayad and Mr. Mohamed Farrag members of the People’s Assembly for the Freedom and Justice Party.
• On 16^th June 2012 the board of the Independent Union for the Workers of the Adult Education Authority organized an open sit-in against the oppressive procedures exercised by the Authority’s chairman against the Union and his repeated attempts to prevent it from performing its main duties for its members. He formed an administrative committee to illegally represent the workers and imposed it on the workers using the stick and carrot methods. He gave the administrative committee the right to attend the meetings of the employees committee without any legal justifications. Because the Independent Union performed its role in fighting corruption, the Chairman oppressed the Union’s President Ahmed Abdel Mordy and transferred him to another location in contradiction with the legal rules which ban the oppression on trade unionists because they perform their trade union and national duties.
• On 20^th July 2012 Abdeen Court sentenced 9 workers from the Arab Contractors with one ‎month imprisonment and EGP 1000 penalty for each of them in the lawsuit No. 833/2012 / ‎Abdeen / Misdemeanors because they participated in a strike in March 2012. The police ‎forces dissipated the workers' sit-in by force and arrested 8 workers and the last one was ‎released on 23rd March 2012. After they were released, they were surprised by this sentence ‎in absentia. It is worthy mention that after the dissipation of the strikers Engineer Adel el ‎Sayed was transferred from Alexandria to Wady el Natroon, Engineer Mohamed Adel was ‎transferred from Ismailia to Assiut and Engineer Mohamed Zain Eddeen was transferred ‎from the Central Bank Site in Mohandiseen in Cairo to the stadium of Port Said !!‎
• On 24th July 2012 the National Company for Metal Industries at the 6th of October City (an ‎affiliate of Orascom Co.) dismissed the following members of the independent union: ‎Khaled Mohamed Yusuf Ameen (Treasurer), Amr Anwar, Zaky Ramadan Ragab, Ashraf ‎Subhy, Abdel Hakeem Mohamed Abdel Hakeem, Sayed Mahmoud, Ihab Sameer and ‎Ameer Yunaan; and transferred the following thee members for investigation: Sharif Saeed, ‎Mohamed Anwar and Abdel Rahman Ibrahim. All of them were accused of calling for ‎strike. Earlier, the workers went into strike and cut off electricity in the company because ‎the management refused to respond to respond to their demands of 10%  share in the profits ‎and equal health insurance treatment with high rank employees. The workers organized a ‎protest stand calling to open the gates of the factory which were closed by the management. ‎They filed reports at the police station of 6th October City when the police station at the ‎factories' area refused to do so. They also filed complaints with the Manpower Office‎.
• On 24th July 2012 in response to the Al Sukkary Mine workers' strike the management ‎dismissed 29 workers including board members of the independent union. The mine's 1200 ‎workers started a strike calling for higher wages, accommodation allowance and the ‎enforcement of the Law on Mines which is applicable on mines and quarries workers. They ‎gave the management a period of 24 hours to respond before they escalate the strike. When ‎they did not get a positive reply they decided to go in strike. After negotiations at the ‎Ministry of Manpower on 26th July 2012 the decision to dismiss the workers was withdrawn ‎but they were stopped from work until the administrative investigations are completed. ‎This was done on 21st September 2012 when 12 of them were dismissed including 7 board ‎members of the independent union. Another 7 workers suffered cut-off salary of 20 days. ‎The decision was implemented even though the chairman did not approve it‎. After long months of litigation, 7 of the dismissed workers obtained on 27^th May 2013 a court sentence to return to their work and take all their dues for the period of dismissal which amounted to EGP 50 thousand for each worker. Those seven workers are: Maher Saad el Deen president of the Union, Yaser Mahmoud vice president, Ahmed Fathy treasurer, Aly el Rasheedy Ahmed general secretary, Abdel Baqy Ahmed, Bahaa el Deen Aaref and Mohamed Mohamed Abdalla.

• On 26^th July 2012 the management of the Egyptian Company for Medical Industries dismissed the board members of the independent union as soon as it learnt that the union had deposited its documents. The management threatened the other workers to have the same destiny if they do not resign from the union membership. This provoked the workers who announced a protest stand. As a result, the management withdrew its decision to dismiss all the board members of the independent union with the exception of its President Mohamed Gamal and its general secretary Ahmed Fathy.
• On 16th August 2012 Cadbury Chocolate Company of Alexandria stopped 5 leaders of the ‎independent union and referred them to a labour court to consider dismissing them. They ‎were: Mohamed Hassan Ahmed Sayed (president of the independent union), Nasr Awad ‎Abdel Rahim (Vice President), Mohamed Abul Ela Mohamed (Treasurer), Hussein Ahmed ‎‎(General Secretary) and Mohamed Hussein Mustafa (Assistant Treasurer). The company ‎management refused to approve the 15% social allowance which was decided by the ‎president of the republic to face the soaring process. As a direct response, the workers ‎decided a sit-in on Thursday 26/7/2012. The site-in lasted for 2 days until it was finished in ‎the presence of the company's engineers Alaa Darweesh, Ameer Shehata and Mahmoud ‎Shabaan. The management decided to give the company workers 3-days off, but they ‎refused because of the management's procrastination to give them the due social allowance. ‎The management accused the 5 trade unionists of encouraging the workers to go in strike. It ‎also accused them of causing losses for the company. As a matter of fact the losses realized ‎by the company were the outcome of the management's failures and its abnormal ‎administrative practices‎.
• On 25th August 2012 the chairperson of the Public Transport Authority Eng. Muna Mustafa ‎issued a decision to transfer the trade unionist Mahmoud Ragab from Badr Garage to Athar ‎el Naby garage under the pretext that his service is needed there. Members of the ‎independent union confirmed that the decision was a penalty for their colleague who ‎defended the workers' rights at Badr Garage‎.
• On 3^rd September 2012 Kalyub public prosecution called 12 workers from the Wholesale ‎Trade Company including 3 of the board members of the independent union for ‎investigation in report No. 3018 in which they are accused of delaying the work and ‎encouraging workers to go in strike. This happened after a strike was made and the workers ‎called for 200% of the incentive salary instead of the suggested incentives which were to be ‎calculated on the basic salary. They also called for cancellation of the contracts of those ‎who reached the age of retirement, allowing promotion, cancellation of delegation to ‎governorates and holding the board of directors responsible for wasting public funds. The ‎workers were presented to the public prosecutor from 3^rd to 17^th September and were ‎released by EGP 200 as bail. They were  Emad Eddin Abdel Raouf vice president of the ‎independent union, Farag el Sayed Aly and Ashraf Mohamed Ragab board members of the ‎independent union, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Sadek Mahmoud Sadek, Amro Gamal ‎Abdel Hameed, Khaled el Sayed Rady, Rizk Mohamed Risk, Aly Ahmed Emam, Khalaf ‎Mohamed Awaad, Husam Mohamed Rizk and Ashraf Abdel Samee. The case is still under ‎the consideration of the court.‎
• On 5th September 2012 Mr. Atef Mahmoud Mohamed Ismail president of the Regional ‎Independent Federation for Southern Egypt was not included in the promotion lists without ‎any clear justification. His batch were promoted from grade 3 to grade 2. He passed all the ‎qualifying tests for the promotion. But he as well as the Education Administration of Qena ‎were surprised that the lists which came from the Ministry did not include his name.‎
• On 8th September 2012 the management of Naj' Hamadi Sugar Company issued a decision ‎to transfer the five labour leaders who led the last strike of August. Mamdouh Hassan ‎Mohamed el Berdeesy and Naser Thabet Amin were transferred to Qous Sugar Factory, ‎Ahmed Salah Abdel Hameed was transferred to Deshna Sugar Factory, Mustafa el Mursy ‎was transferred to Gerga Sugar Company and Mohamed Kamal Abdel Lateef was ‎transferred to el Hawamdiya Sugar Factory. The decision provoked the workers particularly ‎that the five transferred workers had started to collect signature in order to establish an ‎independent union to replace the union affiliated to ETUF which stood against the workers ‎in the last strike.
• On 8^th September 2012 also, the management of Armant Sugar Company issued a decision to transfer four executive members of the independent union. Al Wakeel Gamal Mahmoud was transferred to Quos Factory, Saber Afifi was transferred to Kum Umbo Factory, Sayed Abdel Mo'ty was transferred to Kum Umbo Factory and Mohamed Abdel Rahman president of the independent union was transferred to Girga Factory.
• ‎On 9^th September 2012 the management of Arco Steel Co. dismissed four board members ‎of the independent union: Sameer Rihaan president of the plant union, Abdel Baset ‎Tarkhan general secretary, Abdel Rahman Hassan treasurer and Magdy Darwish member of ‎the plant union. This was because those trade unionists filed a report with the public ‎prosecutor affirmed by documents on the waste of millions of Egyptian Pounds in that ‎company which is publicly owned by 80% of the share capital.
• On 11^th September Al Nuzha Prosecution summoned leaders of the independent union of ‎the workers in aviation hospitality under the pretext of a claim that fifty passengers filed ‎reports against Mahmoud Mohamed Khairy president of the independent union, Ahmed ‎Abdel Fattah el Sayed president of the Aviation Hospitality Association and members of ‎the Union's executive council  Abdel Wahab Mohamed Waheed Eddin, tamer Saad Abdu, ‎Maged Albert Girgis, Yusry Anas Khalil, Hany Fathy Amin, Ashraf Rashwan Abdel Lateef, ‎Hisham Mohamed Aly, Mustafa Mukhtar Mohamed and Ahmed Helmy Aly Shehata. They ‎were accused of intentionally wasting public money and causing losses exceeding 50 ‎million Egyptian Pounds for Egypt Air and refusal to perform their duties. In addition, they ‎were accused of causing several material and moral losses for passengers who were ‎affected by the strike. This was after a strike of the air hosts of Egypt Air who called for ‎establishing a separate sector for air hospitality to look after their interests, and solve their ‎problems which are accumulated for many years and improve their living standards. The ‎report No. 8905/2012 which was filed against them at Al Nuzha Prosecution accused them ‎of refusal to work according to the State Employees Law. Such a refusal is a misdemeanor ‎according to Article No. 124 of the Penal Code. The penalty thereon is imprisonment for a ‎period between 3 months and 2 years in addition to the felony of intentional endangering of ‎public money which is penalized by Articles Nos. 116, 117, 118 and 119 of the same law ‎by imprisonment from 3 to 15 years.
• ‎On 12^th September Toshiba el Araby Group dismissed Wael Abul Fetouh delegate of the ‎independent union of Quesna Factory within the framework of the company's organized ‎campaign against the independent union. The workers of Quesna and Banha factories ‎developed confidence in the independent union. In addition to dismissing the union's ‎delegate to Quesna Factory, the company dismissed Mohamed Shaaban a worker who ‎refused to play the role of a detective on the union members. Further, the management ‎forced a number of workers to sign resignation after obliging them to choose either to ‎resign from the union or to resign from the factory. The management exercised the carrot ‎and stick policy with some union members.
• On 12^th September the management of Arco Steel Co. in al Sadat City dismissed four board ‎members of the independent union: Sameer Rihaan president of the plant union, Abdel ‎Baset Tarkhan general secretary, Abdel Rahman Hassan treasurer and Magdy Darwish ‎member of the plant union because they filed a report with the public prosecutor affirmed ‎by documents on the waste of millions of Egyptian Pounds in that company which is ‎publicly owned by 80% of the share capital. The workers announced an open sit-in before ‎the Culture Palace of Sadat City but none of the officials responded to them.
• On 15^th September - and after the teachers independent unions, associations and movements went into strike calling for deciding teachers' minimum wages by no less than EGP 3000, providing permanent jobs for temporary teachers, appointing graduates of the colleges education and reforming the education policy which is biased to the rich at the cost of the poor – tens of teachers who went in strike were referred to administrative investigation. This was confirmed by information from the Independent Teachers' Federation and the Independent Unions. The same happened with Samah Khalil vice president of the Independent Teachers Union of Sharkiya Governorate. She was transferred to administrative investigation and was threatened to be downgraded to a "worker" if she did not convince the works to stop the strike. Hisham Abu Kamel general secretary of the Independent Teachers Union of Sharkiya Governorate was transferred to administrative investigation because he and other 6 teachers asked to improve living conditions.
• ‎‎On 16^th September two workers from Al Ameriya Spinning and Weaving Company ‎‎(Rashad Shabaan and Aly Hassan Kenawy) sat-in because the company did not issue their ‎frozen wages in violation of a court of appeal sentence. They were dismissed a few months earlier because they called for a strike. The ‎court judged that the dismissal decision was illegal.
• On 16^th September the Public Transport Authority workers announced a strike and called to ‎be adjoined to the Ministry of Transport. Hundreds of security forces personnel surrounded ‎the Garages which started the strike (namely Embaba, Mazallaat and Athar el Naby). In the ‎evening of the same day 6 lorries for the central security forces entered the Embaba garage ‎to arrest a trade unionist (namely Tarek el Beheery) who is at the same time the spokesman ‎of the independent union. He was kept in jail until intelligent investigation is made. The ‎public transport authority filed several claims against him. The situation became more ‎complicated when three other trade unionists were arrested: Mahmud Zaher, Ahmed Yukas ‎and Mohamed Muneer. Tarek el Beheery was released the second day after he was arrested.
• On 16^th September the security troops dissipated by force the forestation workers' sit-in ‎before the Ministry of Agriculture and assaulted them. Seven workers were arrested and ‎accused of trying to enter the office of the Minister Dr. Salah Abdel Mo'men. The arrested ‎workers who called for better wages and permanent jobs were: Ahmed Ibrahim from Kafr ‎el Sheikh Governorate, Ahmed Hamed Mohamed from Beni Suef Governorate,  Rushdy ‎Abdel  Hameed from Beheera Governorate, Mohamed Kael el Sherbeeny from Beheera ‎Governorate, Adel Ramadan Ahmed Bassyuny from Gharbiya Governorate, Ahmed Ragab ‎Abdel Rahman and Wael Nabeel Hamed from Assiut Governorate. All of them were ‎released on 19th September but the lawsuit filed against them is still under consideration.
• On 20^th September 2012 Upper Egypt Transport Co. stopped from work Hassan Abdel Raheem Mohamed vice president of the independent trade union in Qena, Ramadan Amin its general secretary and Hassan el Demeery its treasurer under the claim that they had visited their colleagues in the Company's branch in Aswan Governorate and called them to go on strike. It was confirmed that the purpose of the visit was establish an independent union for the branch of Aswan; a legal act which is safeguarded by law and the constitution.

• On 22^nd September 2012 Qena Prosecution issued a decision to arrest Sayed Mahmoud ‎Abdel Hafez president of the Independent Union of Qena Railway Workers for ‎investigation in a report filed against him by the Railway Authority. He was accused of ‎calling the workers to go in strike and sit-in. Although he denied the accusation and proved ‎that he was involved in a traffic accident and that he had suffered bone fractures and other ‎physical injuries during the sit-in period and that for this reason he could not take part in ‎the sit-in, the prosecution released him on bail of EGP 2000 otherwise he would have ‎remained in jail for 4 days under investigation.‎ It is worthy to mention that Sayed Mahmoud and his colleagues deposited documents to ‎establish their independent union at the beginning of September and established another ‎independent union in Luxor Governorate. The authority assigned one room to be the ‎premises of the independent union in Qena. It is also worth mentioning that Sayed ‎Mahmoud made a study on developing the authority and magnifying its resources. He ‎emphasized the need to reduce the number of transport police because it does not perform ‎its mandate. A lot had been stolen from the railway service but the police is unable in most ‎cases to protect the Authority's property. The study called upon the Authority to collect the ‎amounts of subsidy which it gives for several ministries and bodies such as the armed ‎forces, the police, the judiciary, etc. The study was sent to all the concerned officials and to ‎the president of the republic in particular. The study showed by documents the size of ‎corruption and doubtful interests between the Authority and some private sector companies.

• On 22^nd September Alexandria Misdemeanor Court issued a sentence of 3 year imprisonment against five of the workers of Alexandria Containers Company on the background of their strike which called for the resignation of the company's chairman who was accused of corruption. The workers called as well for returning the platforms which the Company had rented to Chinese companies and other unknown companies. The five workers are: Ahmed Hassan Sadek president of the independent union of the company, Yusry Marouf general secretary and Ashraf Ibrahim, Mohamed Abdel Monim and Esam Eddin Mohamed Mabrouk who are the workers' representatives in negotiations with the leaders of the Northern Military Area. They presented the workers' demands to the military during their last strike in March. This is the background of the whole case. The chairman of that company filed a report against the striking workers and the union board and accused them of encouraging strikes, causing damage to public money and preventing the workers from doing their loading and unloading works. The public prosecution  retained the report. The company submitted a complaint against the public prosecutor's office of the Port of Alexandria which reopened the matter for investigation which continued from March onwards. The workers were summoned three times for investigation. The workers' lawyer requested to delegate a committee from the Faculty of Engineering of Alexandria University to estimate the damage which the workers are accused of without relying solely on the Company's report which contained faked accusations. Finally the prosecution referred the case to the court which issued its sentence in absentia. Lawyers of the Egyptian Democratic Labour Congress and the Center for Trade Union and workers Services appealed the court sentence. The appeal was deliberated until they were released on 16^th June.

• On the dawn of 24^th September 2012 security troops arrested 7 of the nursing staff of Zagazig University's Hospitals. They were taken from their homes. Earlier, they had a meeting with Dr. Salem El Deeb director of the University Hospitals to negotiate on their demands for  which they went in strike, namely to increase the incentives to 300%, increasing the allowance by 200%, increasing the examinations allowance from 410 to 600, health insurance and removing Ahmed Adel the financial and administrative director whom they accused of corruption. Four nurses were released and the other three remained in jail for 4 days under investigation: Ashraf Abdel Monem, Mohamed el Sayed and Ayman Almaz. They were accused of making riots and calling for strike. Their colleagues were very angry. They demonstrated and marched until they reached the Surgery Hospital. They cheered against the president of their trade union because it did not support their legal demands. Then the prosecution released the three nurses who were still kept in jail.

• On 30^th September security officers from Dakahliya attacked the teachers who had a sit-in before the Governorate's premises protesting against corruption related with contracting methods. Brigadier Ehab Shabana, Brigadier General Mohamed Wasfy and another officer called Gamal Ibrahim abused the teachers using very rude language and order soldiers to attack them. They also arrested Mohamed Mokhtar, Aamer Tharwat and Mohamed Mahmoud, took them to Al Mansoura Police Station No.2 and released them the following day.

• On 2^nd October 2012 the National Steel Factory NSF an affiliate of Orascom at the Gulf of Suez stopped 12 workers and investigated with them. They were accused of calling workers to go on strike and that they carried white weapons during their protests at the factory which lasted for 15 days. The workers were calling for wage increase and getting their incentives in arrears. They also said that the management stopped to investigate them and refused to publish the results of the investigations.

• On 3rd October 2012 security forces attacked taxi drivers who demonstrated in front of the ‎General Administration of Traffic at Salah Salim Street and arrested 14 of them. Ten of ‎them were released on the same day and the other four were released the next day after ‎they were bailed by EGP 500 each. Taxi drivers in Greater Cairo had announced a strike on ‎‎2^nd October calling for lower taxes, providing fuel at all gasoline stations, monitoring car ‎spare parts shops and reducing the fines imposed haphazardly on taxis.

• On 4^th October the Health Administration of Qous, Qena Governorate decided to refer Abu Bakr Abdel Rahman El Rawy president of the independent union of health workers to investigation. He was accused of exercising illegal trade union activities. This union was amongst the first unions which deposited their credentials at the Ministry of Manpower on 22/6/2011 according to the Declaration of Trade Union Rights which was issued by the former Minister of Manpower Dr. Ahmed Hassan el Borae'i on 12^th March 2011. The membership of the independent union was 350 workers (from the total number of 550 workers). This means that the union was exercising trade union activities for more than one year, organized a number of protests and realized several gains for the health workers in Qous. Abu Bakr Abdel Rahman El Rawy president of the independent union stated that his supervisors ‎told him that the investigation made with him is a step towards dismissing him completely from ‎the Health Administration‎ and dissolve the union.

• On 6th October 2012 the National Metallic Industries Co. in 6th October City dismissed 9 ‎trade union leaders of the independent union. They were: Sayed Mohamed Mahmoud, ‎Amro Anwar, Mohamed Anwar, Zaky Ramadan, Ehab Sameer, Abdel Hakim Mohamed ‎Abdel Hakim, Abdel Rahman Fathy, Ashraf Sobhy and Ameer Yunan Thabet. They were ‎stopped from work since July 2012 after being accused of encouraging the workers to go in ‎strike. The more than 1000 workers of the company went in strike in an attempt to confront ‎the company's attempt to liquidate the factory‎.

• On 3^rd November Banha Prosecution summoned 6 of the workers of Toshiba el Araby Company including the president of the company's independent union for investigation in Report No. 2723 / 2012. They were accused of cutting off the Cairo / Alexandria Road. They were: Ibrahim Ibrahim, Wageeh Eid Mohamed, Ahmed el Sayed el Touny, Sabry Ghannam (president of the union), Mahmoud Ibrahim Moseelhy and Hekmat Mohamed el Araby. Ahmed el Sayed stood before the prosecutor who refused to tell him the names of those who filed the report but told him that they were secondary school students. The workers were accused of cutting off the road and disturbing public security !!

The more than 1000 workers of the company announced a sit-in n 20^th June when a worker was killed by electric shock when he was testing a piece of equipment but the management did not consider that his death was the result of a job accident. This would deprive the deceased family from the pension and other financial benefits. The workers demonstrated at the hospital. When the management wrote another report stating the real cause of death, they rushed in hundreds to the factory which is adjacent to the Agricultural Road. Their rush in big numbers delayed the traffic until all of them entered the factory.

• On 7^th November 2012 the Central Security Forces arrested 18 workers from Al Nasr Co. for Civil Works because they organized a protest stand in front of the company premises downtown. They called for their rights including the right to have permanent contracts, the return of their means of transportation and to have an ambulance. The chairman informed the poice who brought 8 trucks from the Central Security forces and arrested 18 worker. They were kept for one night at Al Khalifa Police Station although the premises falls under the jurisdiction of Abdeen Police Station. On the following day they were transferred to Abdeen and a report was filed under No. 1670/Administrative. Abdeen Misdemeanor Court decided to release them after being bailed by EGP 200 each. They were also accused of retaining the company chairman inside the company premises.

• On 11^th November Qena Administration of Education transferred Aatef Mohamed ‎Mahmoud, a teacher at el Gebeelaat School at Abu Tisht to Al Awamer School which is more ‎than 60 kilometers away from his house.‎Aatef Mahmoud president of the Independent Regional Federation of the Independent ‎Unions in South Egypt and responsible for CTUWS Office in Naji' Hamady was surprised ‎that he was transferred without any justification. At the beginning of the same month he ‎was surprised again when he found that his salary was returned to the Administration in the ‎Governorate of Sohag under the pretext that there was a mistake in the pay rolls.‎

• On 14^th November 2012 and after the Metro workers finished their strike, Refaat Arafat president of the Independent Union of Shubra el Kheima Workshops received a telephone call summoning him and Bahaa Mutawa and Ibrahim el Sayed members of the Union's executive committee for investigation in the accusation that they delay work. When this call was received a delegation of the workers was sitting with Yehya Hamid consultant of the President of the Republic who took the phone call and asked the caller to postpone the summoning date. They were not summoned for investigation to date.

• On 23^rd December 2012 security troops arrested three workers from the Nuclear Energy Authority during a sit-in before the Ministry of Electricity calling for appointment after they passed the necessary tests required for their employment. The three workers (Ahmed Mahmoud, Kadry Nabeel and Ahmed Serag) were taken to Al Amiriya police station and were released the next day.

• On 23rd December 2012 a worker from Butchino Co. called Ayman Mohamed Abdel Aal ‎died during a sit-in inside the company's premised at el Sadat City. The company refused to ‎transfer him to the hospital or to let him see a doctor after catching a serious fever. It is ‎worth mentioning that Ayman and other 16 workers were dismissed from the company on ‎the background of encouraging workers to go in strikes and sit-ins.‎

• On 24th December 2012 Ahmed Abdalla the chief detective of Qena entered by force the ‎Independent Union of the Railway Workers and threatened to dismiss members of its ‎executive board because they encourage workers to strike and because they delay work. He ‎told the president of the union that he has order from high circles to collect information ‎about all of them particularly the president of the union. It is worth noting that the ‎prosecution of the Governorate had issued a decision to arrest and bring for investigation ‎Sayed Mahmoud Abdel Hafez president of the same union for the same charge.‎

• On 1^st January 2013 Care Service and Maintenance Co. which works at the Emergency Forces Camp in Sharm el Sheikh transferred 5 workers to remote areas. On 2^nd January 2013 tens of workers announced a sit-in. they called for the return of their colleagues and accused the company that it was taking revenge by transferring and dismissing their colleagues because they demonstrated and called for their rights. KareemAshour Mohamed, an electrician working in the UN Emergency Forces’ Camp in Sharm el Sheikh said that they were surprised that their colleagues were arbitrarily transferred to remote governorates. It was a step towards dismissing the because they demonstrated calling for a package of rights including salary increase and organizing monthly leave (by working 15 days and taking 15 days alternatively). The workers presented to Sharm el Sheikh Manpower Office a memorandum containing the  company’s violations. The sit-in came to an end when the company management promised them to return their colleagues and to abstain from dismissing or transferring workers arbitrarily. This happened after the Emergency Forces threatened to terminate the contract with the company if the problem is not solved. And indeed, the problem is not solved to date.

• On 15th January 2013 the management of ABB Arab Contractors Electrical Industries ‎‎(affiliate of ABB International) at 10th of Ramadan City forced Hosny Abdel Hameed to ‎sign his signature. However, he withdrew his resignation before the elapse of one ‎week from the date of his signature and files a complaint with the Manpower ‎Office of the 10th of Ramadan City. Hosny was the workers' spokesman in the ‎negotiations between them and the company on their rights during previous ‎protests because there is no union to represent the workers of this company. ‎

• On 29^th January 2013 workers in Assiut Postal Service were surprised with a court sentence issued in absentia for 3 month imprisonment for 5 workers namely Abdel Rahman Ahmed, Hamdy Mahmoud, Romany Maher, Sayed Galal and Mohamed Ahmed Sayed. The sentence issued inabsentia was from Abnoub Court in Assiut Governorate. The workers insisted that the sentence was issued without any investigation by either the prosecution or the court. They were accused of calling for the rights of 55 thousand workers in the postal service in July 2012 and that a lawsuit was filed against them under No. 6067/2012. The workers added that the management filed the lawsuit intentionally in Abnoub so that they will not know about it. Accordingly, the court judgment was issued in absentia and without any investigation by the prosecution.

• On 28^th January 2013 the Water and Sanitary Sewage Co. of Luxor Governorate transferred five engineers from the Projects Department arbitrarily to different departments throughout the governorate. Their colleagues announced a sit-in in front of the office of the Projects Department director protesting against the company chairman’s decision to transfer their colleagues. One of the engineers said that the decision was issued after their call for a distinguished incentive and “scarcity allowance” which represent 300% of the basic salary for 2 years or 40% of the total wages of the engineer in the company. Such benefits are similar to what their colleagues get inother governorates.

• In the morning of Wednesday 13^th February 2013 a force from the Qaft police station in Qena Governorate arrested 7 workers from HU factory for filling gas cylinders on the background of a strike calling for wage increase. The factory management had promised to increase their wages starting from January 2013 and to disburse their annual increment. Instead, the factory owner filed a complaint at the Public Prosecutor Office accusing the workers of calling for strike and delaying work. The Prosecutor ordered to arrest them. They are: Ashraf Abdel Aziz Mubarak, Zayn el Abedeen Ragab, Mahmoud Abdalla Mubarak, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed, Yahya Mahmoud Desouky, Abdel Rahman Shahat and Ahmed Saad. More then 50 workers gathered in front of Qaft police station together with lawyers fron CTUWS awaiting for the investigation to be made. At the same time, the other workers announced a sit-in inside the factory lest the management should make sabotage and accuse the workers of doing it. The prosecution decided to release the 7 workers after paying a bail of EGP 1000 each.

• On 23^rd February 2013 when some of Faragello Factories’ workers resumed work after their strike according to an agreement between the company and their representatives, thet were surprised to find that 27 workers were suspended and referred for investigation because they raise riots. They included the president of the independent union Magdy Abdel Salaam and two board members. The company’s security prevented the president of the union from entering the company. Investigations started with the workers. The president of the union said that the company had filed reports at Burg el Arab police station accusing the workers of assaulting some administrators after the administrative investigation that was made. At the same time, 16 other workers were arrested and accused of calling for strike, delaying work and assaulting other workers at the job site. The company contacted the police station which sent some policemen with a warranty order from the public prosecutor’s office.

• In the evening of Tuesday 6^th March 2013 the Public Prosecution of Luxor chaired by Chancellor Omar el Naqer decided to imprison 8 workers from the Integrated Services Company, Insurance Services and Cleaning for 4 days for investigation. They were accused of cutting off the railway line and delaying the movement of trains. The prosecution raised several accusations including causing damage to the railway estimated at EGP 800 thousand, refusing to work, attacking the state institutions, cutting off roads, paralyzing trains movement and delaying the citizens’ work. Relatives of the retained workers and some of their colleagues made a protest movement in front of Luxor train station. Calling for their release and return to work. They said that the workers have exhausted all the peaceful protests to get their rights but the officials did not respond to them. That was why they cut-off the railway line and stopped the train movement, they also called for permanent contracts because they were working for more than 4 years and were promised to be appointed. In the following day, the appeals judge ordered to release them.
• On 3^rd March 2013 the management of Ideal Standard Co. at 10^th of Ramadan City dismissed 29 workers including board members of the plant committee. The Company’s 1000 workers made a sit-in calling for fair distribution of profits, to disburse risk allowance at EGP 300, disburse the nature of work allowance, get the balance of leave days according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Manpower and insuring the workers with the actual salaries which they receive. The workers announced a strike until their colleagues’ return. On the following day, the management decided to stop production completely, cut off gas and electricity and separate the mills from the factory for the morning shift.

Ahmed Yusuf member of the plant union said that they filed a report at the Manpower Office of the 10^th of Ramadan City confirming that it was the company – not the workers – which stopped work at the company. Later, the company filed a complaint to the Labour Court calling to dismiss all the members of the Plant union. It also stopped the buses used to transport the workers. He added that the plant union members filed a counter report at the 10^th of Ramadan police station concerning their stance, their right to return to their work and resume company operation. They also raised a complaint to the Minister of Manpower asking him to protect the 1000 workers and their families. But they did not find any response to their demands.

• On 10^th March 2013 Aqua Delta Bottled Water Co. dismissed 7 of the independent union’s board members. The company workers called for a strike until the return of their colleagues. The workers referred the dismissal to the management’s intention to reduce labour especially that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Environment closed the company for 5 months after discovering that the company’s well lacks the necessary specifications. The workers confirmed that the owner of the factory used to force them to work an additional evening shift far from any supervision. Now, the sample taken from the well proved that the water is potable, instead of operating the factory legally and in full capacity the workers were surprised that their colleagues were dismissed !!

• On 13^th March 2013 the management of Globe Co. in el Sadat City dismissed 11 workers who are members of the executive council of the independent union. The evening shift workers were surprised after the end of the shift with the decision to dismiss their colleagues simply because they called for implementing the collective agreement which was signed after the last strike. The agreement stipulated the disbursement of a percentage of profits to the workers, writing labour contracts for 3 years, disbursement of an allowance for working the 1 hour break and no threat for any worker. But after that, the management suspended 11 workers and referred them to administrative investigation. Only 13 workers were returned, 7 workers are still suspended and the remaining 11 workers were dismissed. Consequently, the workers announced a strike and sit-in inside the company premises.

• On 18^th March 1203 the police arrested more than 15 workers from Alexandria Fertilizers’ Company. The workers had a sit-in inside the premises calling for permanent jobs and higher salaries. It is worthy noting that the company’s 90 workers are employed through a sub contractor. They called more than once to have permanent jobs because they are working in the same company for five years now.

• On 4^th April 2013 Cairo Airport Company decided to transfer 4 trade union leaders to remote places. They are: Mahmoud Rehan president of the Independent Union who was transferred to East Owenaat Airport. Ahmed Ameen who was transferred to St. Catherine Airport, Usama Aly who was transferred to Hurghada Airport and Reem el Shazly who was transferred to 6^th October airport. They called for the resignation of the Minister of Civil Aviation because he closed his eyed to corruption cases and forced the chairman of Cairo Airport Company to resign simply because he asked to refer one of the corruption files to the Public Prosecutor. The file was about the establishment of a fire fighting station without having a source for water. More than 50 air supervision officers demonstrated in protest to transferring their colleagues. In their statement they emphasized that the Minister disregards the workers demand to hold officials responsible for wasting public money and insists to keep those who are involved in corruption in their positions although the administrative investigations proved that they were involved in financial corruption, one of those corrupted people is the chairman of the holding company. It is worth mentioning that the transfer decision included as well 4 drivers but their transfer was cancelled when all the drivers threatened to go on strike !!

• On 5^th April 2013 the owner of Aswan Cement Factory tried to end the workers’ strike by force using live bullets. The workers filed a report No. 2033/2013 Administrative at Aswan Police Station. The bullets were kept as an evidence of the crime. Earlier, the 350 workers had announced a strike. They called for a leave system in the company, permanent jobs for the temporary workers and higher wages. The owner kept promising them since 2003 to provide permanent contracts for 250 workers and raise wages. The leaves system in the company does not fall under any law. They work for 26 days every month for 12 hours every day without any overtime payment. Then the worker takes 8 days as unpaid leave. A worker gets EGP 35 for a work day. The workers reported that there is no potable water in the factory which is situated at Kilometer 110 Aswan / Abu Simbul desert road. They get water from the wells in the area.

• On 13^th May 2013 when the staff of CTUWS Naj’ Hamady Office (the temporary premises of the Regional Federation of Southern Egypt Independent Unions) arrived in the morning they were surprised to find that contents of the premises were stolen including documents of the independent unions members of the Egyptian Democratic Labour Federation, a laptop and a data show projector. All the other papers and documents were scattered. The doors, the balcony and the windows did not show any sign of violence. Mr. Atef Mahmoud president of the Regional Federation of Southern Egypt Independent Unions said, “It is clear that robbery is not the motive of this forced entry of the premises. There is a TV set, a receiver and other electrical equipments which were not stolen. The perpetrators wanted the computer sets, searched all the papers and documents in the premises and took the documents of the independent unions only.

• On the evening of 14^th May 2013 police ended by force a sit-in for the workers in electricity companies. Tens of workers (including some females) were seriously injured. The police arrested 16 from the workers who organized protests in front of the premises of Northern Cairo Electricity Distribution Company in Nasr City. They called to cancel decisions which minimize the workers benefits and to keep incentives, unify the benefits for all the workers in the holding company and the affiliate companies, give Saturday as an official leave similar to workers in the Egyptian Holding Company for Electricity and the Egyptian Company for Electricity Transfer, `mend the medical regulations to include all the workers and their families and to disburse 2 months salary as school allowance without deducting the same from the profits.

• On 15^th May a court sentence of one month imprisonment was issued in absentia for 23 employees from Fayoum University. They were accused of attacking the teaching staff in lawsuit No. 10825. The appeal session was decided on 2^nd October 2013. The issue goes back to a complaint filed by Mohamed Ramadan el Dayan the security director of the university who is appointed by a contract which is about to expire. He filed the complaint against someof the workers in the university namely: Mohamed Mohamed Ismail, Ezzat Mohamed Mahmoud, Ahmed Saad Abdel Aziz, Seef Sayed, Abdel Naser Bakry Ahmed, Shaban el Sayed Abbas, Mohamed Hussein Abdel Rady, ahmed Aly Abdel Aleem, Omar Mohamed Farghaly, Magdy Nagy Ahmed, Salah Mohamed Hamed, Hassan Abdel Wahed, AlyShabaan Ahmed, Adel Au Taleb Abdel Muttaleb, Mohamed Abdel Kader Asssd, Mohamed Mohamed el Sayed, Magdy Qurany Hamed, Thabet Ahmed Shabaan, Mohamed Aly Abdel Fattah, Khaled Hamed Qurany and Islam Hassan Abdel Fattah.

• On May 15^th 2013 the Water Company of Suez Governorate referred 5 workers to the Administrative Prosecution for investigation. They were accused of preventing engineers from entering the work site and delaying work after their protest stand which they organized because the Water Department was adjoined to the Egyptian Shareholding Company an affiliate of the Water Holding Company as a step towards its privatization. The management filed a report to the police station accusing the following five workers of delaying work and preventing engineers from doing their work: Waleed Mohamed Abdel Baset, Alaa Hussein Ata, Mahmoud Mohamed Mahmoud, Ahmed Mohamed Mursy and Naser Maghraby Abbady.

• On 15^th May 2013 the management of Al Ragaa Co. for Clay Products in 10^th of Ramadan City dismissed 3 board members of the independent union namely Ahmed Sobhy, Ragab Gad and Asaad el Sayed el Nady. They called for the 10% salary increase which the employer promised to disburse then he refused to do so. Instead, he offered to pay 37 days only. Although the union’s board members accepted the offer, they were surprised to find the employer cancel their being full time trade unionists and gave them one hour every day to manage their union. Then, without any previous warning he issued a decision to dismiss them. It is worthy mentioning that he had dismissed the union president Mr. Tarek Nadawy in April 2013 and forced him to make a settlement and get compensated by 2 months salary for every year of service according to law provisions.

• On 25^th May 2013 the chairman of Alexandria Port Authority Major General Adel Yaseen Hammad decided to punish 28 of the employees of the Electronic Department who control the Port gates. They were referred to investigation and suspended for15 days because they went into strike calling for their financial rights. The Legal Affairs of the Alexandria Port Authority recommended to transfer them to public prosecution and to suspend then for a period of three months. But the Chairman decided to suspend them for 15 days and to refer them to the Legal Affairs for investigation !!

• On 28^th May 2013 the police of el Sadat City arrested the president and general secretary of the independent union of Alexandria Spinning and Weaving Company after the company workers had announced a sit-in because the management deducted the percentage of social insurances from the comprehensive salary without amending the ‘insurance salary’ registered at the General Authority of Social Insurances. The Company’s 400 workers emphasized that the management decided to make the deduction with a retroactive effect starting from January 2013. This means that the worker will pay more than EGP 1000 for the previous period in addition to the reduction of the salary by an average of EGP 150. Then the management filed a report at el Sadat City Police Station against Abdel Aleem el Bekeemy president of the independent union and Nasef el Shahat its general secretary. They were accused of calling the workers to go in strike and preventing the exit of products outside the factory. The workers refused the accusation and emphasized that the factory is running in full capacity. Thee two union leaders were summoned to the public prosecutor office who released them until the police investigation is completed.

•  On 6^th June 2013 the management of Cairo Airport Company dismissed 15 employees, suspended another 36 and referred them to the public prosecution office. They were accused of delaying work and hindering air navigation movement. This was on the background of the workers’ strike because the company changed the ‘incentives’ item to ‘compensation’ item. This was understood as a step to cancel the incentives in order to provide resources to meet the demands of the Customs workers (who belong to the Ministry of Finance) who went in strike for 4 successive days. They started their strike on Monday calling to clean the Customs Authority from corrupted leaders, bridging the gaps, stipulating more stringent penalties in the Customs Law, rationalizing customs’ exemptions, amending some customs regulations tailored for some Egyptian businessmen, improving the employees’ salaries to secure dignified life for themselves and their families and providing reasonable rest houses and means of transportation for workers in remote areas. After the Customs workers’ meeting with the Minister of Civil Aviation, he responded to some of their demands. Consequently, the Minister decided to change some of the ‘incentives’  of the Cairo Airport Company into ‘compensations’. This provoked the Company’s workers who announced a strike on Tuesday and protested cheering against the leaderships of their company and the Holding Company for Airports. They called for incentives similar to those of the customs workers. In response, Engineer Wael el Meaddawy Minister of Civil Aviation issued his decision to dismiss the following 15 workers: Ahmed elSaeed el Shahaat, Hany Anwar Fouad, Haytham Raafat Abdel Rahman, Ahmed Abdel Salam Mehanna, Hamdy Abdel Rahim el Sheikh, Ahmed el Saeed el Nabarawy, Mohamed Hosny Kamel, Tharwat Mohamed Oraby, Mohamed Abdalla Solaiman, Ahmed Ahmed Awaad, Mahmoud Galal Hassan, Hamdy Abdel Gawad Abdel Rahman, Sameh Mohamed Eshmawy and Mohamed Saeed Mohamed. He also decided to suspend another 36 workers and referred them for investigation.

• On 13 June 2013 Dubai Ports Authority issued a decision to dismiss two board members of the independent union namely: Ashraf Eassa and Aly Saleem under the pretext that they were absent. But they had an approval to be full time trade unionists and the approval was signed by the company’s management over 5 months ago. One of the 2 dismissed trade unionists confirmed that since they have got the approval to become full time trade unionists their names were removed from the attendance registry. On the other hand, the management stated in its decision that they were absent from 1^st to 31^st May. The workers defied this statement and said that they have got the salary of May completely. It is an evidence that they used to attend and perform their trade union activities regularly and that the decision to dismiss them is groundless.