Press Release
The workers of Ocean Foods CO. in Borg El Arab shut down the company’s gates on September 28, 2024, protesting their dire living conditions. The workers—more than five thousand in number, most of whom are women—are demanding wage increases, as their current salaries do not exceed 2,800 EGP. They are also requesting the application of the national minimum wage, which they describe as insufficient given the current economic situation and rising living costs.
First sit-in:
The workers began their initial sit-in on September 23, 2024, with more than three thousand workers gathering at the company’s headquarters in the second district of Borg El Arab. They called on the government to implement the minimum wage. Many workers expressed difficulty in meeting their basic needs due to low wages and voiced frustration with the harsh working conditions, which force them to leave their homes at dawn and return at sunset for minimal pay.
Despite management’s promises to meet their demands, the workers were surprised by a salary increase of only 400 EGP. This meager raise angered them, leading them to resume their sit-in at the company’s premises. Some workers described the management’s decision as a “stalling tactic” to delay resolving their issues, while the company closed its gates, escalating tensions.
delays and worker access denied:
Earlier, police had intervened, urging workers to temporarily halt their sit-in and give the management time to find a solution. However, the workers resumed their sit-in on September 28, 2024, in response to what they called the company’s disregard for their real demands.
Ali Abbas, the company’s financial and administrative director, stated that the workers are being paid in full. Meanwhile, Mohamed Diab, the company’s insurance director, claimed that he had no involvement in the current situation.
The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) reaffirms its solidarity with the workers and urges the company’s management to respond positively and adequately to their just demands. CFJ also calls on Egyptian authorities, particularly the Ministry of Labor, to intervene and resolve the workers’ crisis with the company management.
