The LCHR has issued report no. 49 of the Economic & Social Rights series monitoring workers protests in Egypt in the first half of 2006. the LCHR issues this report under the current negative developments in the Arab Israeli conflict, especially after the recent Israeli attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, the only ones who will pay the price are the workers, farmers and all producers in the region. The report consists of several sections as follows:
The Preface Section presents the relation between demanding civil rights "the rights to demonstrate, express, gathering, have an independent judiciary, stop implementing the emergency law and release the thousands of detainees" and violating workers rights "the rights to have air fees, suitable working opportunities and independent syndicates". This section presents the problems of migrant workers and what they face in some Gulf and European countries. In addition to presenting farmers conditions under the implementation of the privatization policies in Egypt. This section also shows the effects of the terrorist bombings in Dahab and the rest of the tourist cities in Sina on workers rights. This section also explains the risks of the new health insurance law that is being discussed that could lead to possible health disasters if implemented. It also presents some forms of corruption in the business sector companies, and the closure of about 1000 factories in the new industrial cities especially in the Sixth of October, the Tenth of Ramadan, El Sadat and Borg El Arab cities, which have led to the eviction and displacement of 100 thousand workers who support their families who reach half a million people. This comes after less than a year from the President's statement in his electoral program in the presidential elections 2005 that he will establish 1000 factories. The report shows that the workers syndicates and union elections, round 2006-2011 will be held in September 2006 without judicial supervision, whichviolate international covenants for human rights and the International Labor Office agreements.
The First Section presents the size o protests in the first half of 2006. There were 107 protests, 38 of them in the governmental sector, 36 in the business sector and 33 in the private sector, varied between 18 strikes, 15 demonstrations, 31 gatherings and 43 sit-ins.
These protests have happened in 13 governorates, 32 in Cairo, 12 in Sharqeya, 10 in Alexandria, 6 in each of Ismaileya and Qena, 5 in Sueiz, 4 in each of Sohag, Behira and Gharbeya, 3 in each of Giza, Bany Swief and Menya, 2 in each of Port Said, Daqahleya, Qalubeya and Fayoum, and one protest in each of Demyat, Aswan, El Wady El Gedeed, South Sina, Kafe El Sheikh, the Red Sea and Sina.
These protests were published in 19 Egyptian newspapers. 24 articles were published in El Masry El Youm newspaper, 12 in El Ommal, 11 in El Tagamo'a, 9 in Rose El Yousif, 8 in each of El Wafd and El Ahaly, 5 in El Osboos', 4 in each of El Ahrar, El Araby and the LCHR files, 3 in Nahdet Masr, 2 in each of El Masa'eya, El Haqiqa, Geel El Ghad and El Seyasy El Masry, and one in each of Akhbar El Youm, El Haya, El Karama and El Ahram.
This section also shows size, types and reasons for workers protests in the governmental sector "38 protests", as there were 7 gatherings, 15 sit-ins, 8 strikes and 8 demonstrations. They have varied between 18 protests for not receiving their financial dues, 8 for mistreatment and bad administration, 5 for low wages, 2 for working without contracts, and one protest for arbitrary firing and transfer, canceling contracts, not having health insurance and the merger of companies.
The Second Section presents the size, types and reasons for workers protests in the in the private sector "33 protests", as there were 9 gatherings, 11 sit-ins, 8 strikes and 5 demonstrations. They have varied between 16 protests for not receiving their financial dues, 7 for mistreatment and bad administration, 4 for arbitrary firing, and one for the cancellation of their drivers license, increasing tolls, wasting their financial rights, selling the company, not having insurance and because of the spread of bird flu.
The Third Section presents the size, types and reasons for workers protests in the in the private sector "36 protests", as there were 15 gatherings, 17 sit-ins, 2 strikes and 2 demonstrations. They have varied between 13 protests for not receiving their financial dues, 5 for mistreatment, bad administration and selling companies and factories, 2 for not implementing the system of early retirement, and one for forcing them to early retirement, eviction out of their homes, arbitrary firing, canceling promotions, selling the lands of the companies, closing down companies and factories, bad working schedules, not having any insurance, broken down buses and reducing salaries by 50%.
The Fourth Section presents some recommendations that may improve workers conditions, like:
• Fixing temporary employments and provide them with insurance and bonuses.
• Form a committee from the Ministries of Work Force and Investment to pay the workers their late salaries in the three sectors, and then the committee can receive the money it paid from these sectors through the labor offices.
• Form a national committee of experts from political parties, official and unofficial unions to monitor and supervie the selling process of the business sector companies to guarantee workers rights and stop wasting public money.
• Demand the Minister of Work Force to issue a decision that allows marginalized and temporary workers in Egypt, who are more than 5 million workers and not registered in the official workers union, to establish syndicates that can guarantee and defend their interests.
• Stop the privatization of health insurance, and develop health units and governmental hospitals to guarantee workers right to healthcare.
• Demand the Minister of Work Force to issue a decision that allows full judicial supervision in the workers elections for round 2006-2011, so that all Egyptian workers could practice their right to chose their representatives without any governmental interference or administrational pressure.
• Determine the minimum limit for salaries suitable to the life needs and to have a decent life.
The LCHR demands all of those interested in workers issues in Egypt to work together and coordinate to implement the report recommendations, to guarantee the establishment of independent labor syndicates that can defend workers rights to suitable working opportunities and a decent life.
The full report will be published on our website as soon as we finish the translation.