Egypt's Mahalla textile workers go on strike (Egypt)

Seeking solution to their issues and to make their demands met, thousands of textile workers at the state-run Mahalla Misr Spinning and Weaving Company have gone on strike by halting production.

 

Besides a change in company’s top management, the striking workers are demanding a larger share in 2011’s profits, and a hike in end of service remunerations.

 

Presently, workers get an equivalent of four and half months of their wages as profit share from the company, which they want to be increased to a full year’s wage.

 

On leaving the job, a worker gets a sum equivalent to two months of pay for every year worked with the company. Workers are demanding that this amount be raised to three month’s pay per year.

 

Moreover, the workers are demanding a change in top management at Egypt’s largest textile conglomerate alleging that the management has failed in delivering results.

 

The textile firm based in industrial complex in the Delta town of Mahalla El-Kobra employs about 24,000 workers, who have resorted to protest over similar demands, many times during the last 18 months.

 

Strikes observed by workers of the company in 2006 and 2008 gained wide-scale popularity, and several Egyptian activists believe that these strikes partially laid the foundation for the country’s January 2011 uprising that eventually led to ouster of Mubarak regime.