The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) has monitored that Egyptian security forces launched an arrest campaign against workers of the Turkish-Egyptian clothing manufacturer T&C in Obour City on Saturday, January 25, following their ongoing work strike since January 16, demanding salary increases.
CFJ estimates that up to 25 workers have been detained. A worker from the factory confirmed that four colleagues were arrested from their homes in Belbeis Center, Sharqia Governorate, and were taken to Belbeis Police Station before being transferred Sunday morning to Obour First Police Station.
The committee quoted a relative of one of the detained workers from the village of Al-Zawamil in Belbeis Center, stating that his relative, Ahmed Hassan Abdel Aziz, was arrested after evening prayers on Saturday. When they went to the police station, they found other families from various villages inquiring about their detained relatives. He added that the detained workers are now held in Obour First Police Station, with families from different areas also searching for their loved ones, all of whom are workers at the company.
The company management had previously imposed mandatory leave on workers to pressure them to halt the strike that began on January 16. Female workers inside the factory reported that the management adopted a “divide and conquer” approach by calling specific departments back to work while extending mandatory leave for others in an attempt to break the strike. For instance, workers from the packing and laundry departments were summoned yesterday, and today those from the cutting department were called back.
The workers rejected an offer from the management for an annual increase of 17% to 20%, reiterating their demand for a 50% annual increase and a raise in both the incentive and meal allowance to EGP 1,000 each.
CFJ opposes the security measures taken by Egyptian authorities and the company management against the workers’ strike and demands. The committee calls for serious negotiations with the workers, considering their financial struggles amid a severe economic crisis in Egypt.
The committee also urges the Egyptian Ministry of Labor to intervene to end the injustice faced by the workers, secure the release of detainees, stop security targeting, enforce minimum wage laws, and support their legitimate financial demands.
