This report is issue no. 42 of the "Economic & Social Rights series". This report monitors the protests of Egyptian workers in all three sectors "governmental, public business and private sectors" during the second half of 2005.
In 2005, there were 202 protests, 109 of them were in the first half and 93 in the second, which have varied as follows:
• 90 gatherings, 50 of them were in the first half and 40 in the second.
• 53 sit-ins, 33 of them were in the first half and 20 in the second.
• 43 strikes, 21 of them were in the first half and 22 in the second.
• 16 demonstrations, 5 of them were in the first half and 11 in the second.
These protests have also varied in the last six months of 2005, as follows:
• In July, here were 29 protests, which have varied between 18 gatherings, 4 strikes, 4 sit-ins and 3 demonstrations.
• In August, there were 13 protests.
• In September, there were 21 protests.
• In October, there were 17 protests.
• In November, there were 7 protests.
• In December, there were 6 protests, which have varied between 2 gatherings, 1 strike, 1 sit-in and 1 demonstration.
All these protests have happened in several governorates in Egypt, as follows:
• Cairo "24 protests"
• Alexandria "14 protests"
• Monofeya, Sharqeya and Ismaileya "7 protests in each"
• Daqahleya "6 protests"
• Giza "5 protests"
• Gharbeya "4 protests"
• Kafr El Sheikh, Fayoum, Qena, Port Said, Bany Swief, Suwize and Menya "2 protests in each"
• Behira, El Wady El Gedeed, Luxor, Aswan, Northen Sina and Asute "1 protest in each"
Note: Cairo and Giza join in a protest resulted of the same cause.
16 Egyptian newspapers have presented the causes and size of these protests, as follows:
• El Masry El Youm "17 protests"
• El Tagamo'a and El Wafd "12 protests"
• El Ahaly and El Ommal "9 protests"
• El Ahrar and El Osboo's "7 protests"
• "5 protests from the files of the LCHR cases"
• El Araby "3 protests"
• Aafaq Arabeya, El Seyasy El Masry, Nahdet Masr and El Ahram "2 protests each"
• Saut El Omma, El Naba'a, El Ghad and El Haqiqa "1 protest each"
The Preamble section of the report presents the economic and social conditions of workers in 2005. as it monitors the performance of the new government that tries to speedup economic reform by issuing a number of laws related to taxes and customs, and by making rade agreements, such as "QIZ", and getting rid of what is left of the business sector companies and corporations that the government has some shares in, and presenting the project of early retirement, which will lead to the eviction and displacement of workers.
This section presents President Mubarak's electoral promises to provide work for 6 million Egyptians to solve the problem of unemployment. The report also presents the impossibility of implementing this promise because there aren't enough financial resources in the country, as the employment of these people will need around 6 billion pounds yearly. The report also shows hat Mubarak didn't fulfill his promise in increasing wages 100% for small employees, as this promise is also impossible to achieve because the incapacity rate has reached 3.1% of the total local result.
This section also presents the role of the head of the workers union in Mubarak's electoral campaign, and how he has called and encouraged all labor syndicates to vote for Mubarak, although this action violates the role of the union in protecting workers rights and defending their interests, and not the embezzlement of workers money and spending it on political or partial campaigns.
This section also presents the negligence of the officials in their roles in supporting and protecting workers rights and providing them with suitable working chances. In addition to the absence of solidarity with the demands of protesting workers by the different political forces and parties because of the continue implementing the emergency law and laws that bind freedoms, in addition to not guaranteeing the right in gathering, organizing, demonstrating and striking.
This section also presents workers problems in Sharm El Sheikh and Hurgada cities after last year's bombings, and how they have harmed workers there, and how hey have led to the evacuation of 100 thousand Egyptian workers out of Sina, in addition to discounting 50% of the wages of the workers who weren't evacuated. In addition to that, the ministries of foreign affairs and manpower have left these workers to the employment companies without any protection or guarantee to their rights in fees and safety, like what happened to the Egyptian workers in Jordan and emigrants to Italy.
The report also undertakes the problems of individual workers who have reached 5 million workers and textile workers who have reached 124 thousand workers, in addition to presenting how the government has seized 175 billion pounds of insurance money, and the new government is trying to seize the rest of the 52 billion pounds by merging insurance to the finance ministry. In addition to that, the report presents the revenue of selling the business sector companies in 2005, which have reached 11 billion pounds resulting from selling 28 projects, and that 168 companies and governmental shares in 570 other companies and corporations await to be sold.
The report also shows that unemployment rates have increased in Egypt in 2005 to reach 14 million citizens, and that the growth rate doesn't exceed 4.8%, the inflation has increased to 9.5% and the local investment rate has decreased to 17.5%. and then the report presents the most important rulings of the supreme constitutional court regarding workers rights in obtaining yearly holidays (vacations).
The First section of the report presents workers protests in the second half of 2005. As the governmental sector has witnessed 41 protests that have varied in causes, as there were 12 protests for not being paid financial dues, 8 protests for non-contractual employment, 6 protests for arbitrary administration, 3 protests for arbitrary transfer and canceling contracts "each", 2 protests for arbitrary firing and 1 protest for canceling delegation, reducing employment, excluding some workers from being hired, reducing fees and transforming workers contracts from insured to training.
The Second section of the report presents workers protests in the second half of 2005. As the public business sector has witnessed 28 protests that have varied in causes, as there were 7 protests for not being paid financial dues, 6 protests for arbitrary administration, 3 protests for the closing or dissolution of companies, early retirement or administrative violations "each", 2 protests for non-contractual employment, and 1 protest for arbitrary transferring, postponing promotion, refusing to insure workers against disability and illness and arbitrary firing.
The Third section of the report presents workers protests in the second half of 2005. As the private sector has witnessed 24 protests that have varied in causes, as there were 10 protests for not being paid financial dues, , 5 protests for arbitrary firing, 3 protests for closing factories and arbitrary administration "each", and 1 protest for assaulting workers and violating their rights in personal safety "each".
The Fourth section of the report presents some final remarks, as it indicates that guaranteeing workers rights in fair fees and suitable housing needs real development in the society, which will only be achieved through political, economic and social reform that obligate the government to do its' role in he development of the country for the benefit of all citizens.
Workers demands are part of tee national program for economic, social and political reform, and the LCHR adjures all CSOs to unite in solidarity with workers demands to guarantee their rights in suitable working chances and decent living for a better, more just and humane future for all citizens in Egypt.
This report will be distributed to our mailing list after finishing its' translation.