Press release
Geneva – February 5, 2024
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored the workers’ strike at the Turkish clothing company “T&C Garment” in Obour City, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. Have been on strike since January 29, 2024, demanding higher wages, a regular increase in annual grants, and the appointment of temporary workers.
Per the CFJ’s observations, the company’s management responded on February 1, 2024, by abruptly closing the company doors. Furthermore, they threatened to dismiss labor leaders if the strike persists, dangling promises of a partial wage increase as a resolution. The strike involves approximately 7,000 workers, with many earning below the Egyptian government’s minimum wage for the private sector, which is 3,500 pounds.
Magdy Tolba, the company’s chairman and a member of the export council for ready-made garments, cited difficult living conditions as a reason for being unable to approve a substantial annual increase. He warned that such an increase could lead to the factory’s closure. Production line managers, in turn, cautioned workers about potential dismissals and non-receipt of January salaries if the strike continues.
The CFJ emphasizes that adherence to the government-approved minimum wage is not an act of generosity by private companies but a legal obligation outlined in Egyptian labor laws. The failure of “T&C Garment” management to comply with this obligation is deemed a violation of the financial rights of its employees, necessitating legal accountability.
CFJ urges the company’s management to cease circumventing labor laws, settle all outstanding payments owed to the striking workers, and refrain from threatening dismissals or salary withholdings. The committee also calls upon the Egyptian government, particularly the Ministry of Labor, to intervene and rectify the illegal practices of the company’s management.
