Despite the Ban and Tyranny, Egypt’s Workers Hold their Conference on May 1st

Press Releases
Sunday, May 1, 2016 - 15:46

After they were prevented from holding their conference in the Press Syndicate as it was planned. Egypt’s workers held their conference on May 1st at 4:30 pm at the premises of the Center for Trade Union and Worker Services – 88 Qasr El Aini St., Cairo- where 300 workers representing unions and various trade sectors from all of Egypt’s governorates to express their anger and their denouncement of the tyrannical procedures taken against their rights, and to assert their insistence on practicing their right to express their demands and defend their interests. 

The Labour Freedoms Coordination Committee that includes representatives of the independent unions and labour leaders – along with the CTUWS- organized its event on May 1st in the 4th floor hall in the press syndicate in downtown Cairo. This hall was rented from the syndicate – as is the custom- fifteen days previously. They were however surprised to find scores of security forces surrounding the downtown area and preventing cars and passersby of crossing through it. Hundreds of workers were prevented from entering the area because of the banning of the conference without reasons and in a step that is considered a stark transgression on the rights of journalists (the owners of the hall) and the Labour Freedoms Coordination Committee (the tenants of the hall).

Representative Khaled Shabaan – the member of Parliament- and Dr. Karim Al Hefnawy, Mr. Hassan Badawy and Dr. Magdy Abdel Hamid, representatives of the political forces and civil society organizations, who rushed to attend in the location of the conference were also banned from reaching the premises of the conference that was to be held in the press syndicate. Participants in the conference from independent unions and labour leaders announced that they insist on workers’ rights to organize themselves freely and on their rights of expression and organization. The attendees denounced the attitudes of the state apparatus that has gone too far in doing away with rights and freedoms. Its clear directive is to confiscate labour rights and freedoms which was clear – particular- in its alleged celebration of May Day on April 28thwith pretentious labour representatives from the Egyptian Labour Federation; the official state body and its tool in confiscating the right of workers to organize their unions freely.

The conference announced the demands of workers foremost among which was cancelling all legal restraints on the rights of workers to form their independent unions and the issuance of a union law according to article 76 of the Egyptian constitution and international labour agreements (98 and 87). It also called onto all democratic forces to express solidarity with worker rights for a democratic society that has room for all its citizens that provides a share for each of them in its fortunes. A society in which its members can breathe freely, talk, interact and express themselves. A society that does not oppress its members and does not restrain their ambitions and their human’s inclination to develop their abilities and improve their living conditions.

 

The Labour Freedoms Coordination Committee

May 1, 2016

Despite the Ban and Tyranny, Egypt’s Workers Hold their Conference on May1st

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