Press release
The management of Samanoud Textiles issued a decision to reinstate nine workers who had been suspended, but the decision excluded union leader Hisham Al-Banna. The management also ignored the workers’ primary demand to implement the presidential decree increasing the minimum wage.
– Arbitrary measures against Al-Banna:
Al-Banna’s exclusion was not unexpected, as he has been subjected to hostile treatment from security forces in coordination with the company’s management. He was arrested from his home in a degrading manner following the start of the strike and was released later than his colleagues. He has faced ongoing threats of being re-imprisoned, aimed at pressuring him to end the strike and refrain from speaking out about administrative violations and potential corruption within the company.
The striking workers are demanding the reinstatement of their ten suspended colleagues, in addition to the reemployment of seven temporary workers who were dismissed, and the implementation of the minimum wage increase.
– Threats and calls to end security solutions:
The strike began on August 17, and despite intense pressure from security forces and the company’s management, the workers have held firm. Some have even been hospitalized due to deteriorating health conditions. The management did not stop at security measures; it summoned eight workers and threatened them with imprisonment if they did not return to work.
On the morning of September 16, workers were shocked by the presence of a large group of female security forces and thugs outside the factory from the start of the first shift, according to several lawyers and journalists who reported this on Facebook. The aim was to deter the workers from continuing their strike.
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) rejects the security measures employed by the company’s management to deal with the workers’ strike.
CFJ also calls for the immediate reinstatement of union leader Hisham Al-Banna and the enforcement of the minimum wage as stipulated in the presidential decree, emphasizing that ignoring the legitimate demands of the workers could lead to social instability and deepen the gap between workers and management.
