Press release
Geneva – August 13, 2024
Workers at the “Ceramic Venezia” factory in the city of 6th of October, Egypt, went on strike on Sunday, August 11th, demanding the implementation of the minimum wage and access to health insurance, as most of them have developed respiratory illnesses due to the nature of their work.
In response, the factory management issued an administrative decision to stop the transportation services for workers starting from the third shift, offering instead a transportation allowance to those who attend and continue working in the production hall.
The workers had previously received promises from the management board about six months ago to consider and address the same demands, but no action was taken, prompting them to organize this strike.
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has expressed its solidarity with the striking workers, emphasizing that the right to strike is protected under international laws and agreements, notably the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which affirms the right to strike in Article 8 of its third part.
CFJ urges the “Ceramic Venezia” management to positively engage with the workers’ legitimate demands and refrain from pressuring them to end the strike through the recent decisions. The Committee also calls on the Egyptian Ministry of Labor to intervene to bridge the gap between the workers and the management to ensure the continuity of work within the factory and to safeguard the workers’ rights.
