Press release
Geneva – February 25, 2024
On February 24, 2024, Ghazl El-Mahalla Company workers in Gharbia, Egypt, resumed their strike, protesting the exemption of the public business sector, to which the company belongs, from the President’s decision to increase the minimum wage to EGP 6,000. The strike, involving 3,700 factory workers, faced heightened tensions as Gharbia Governor Tariq Rahmi imposed security measures during an inspection tour.
As Governor Rahmi conducted the inspection, security personnel closed the factory gates, triggering an immediate strike. Following the dispersal of the initial striking shift, excluding export departments, the subsequent shift joined in solidarity to shield the company from potential delay fines.
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored attempts by the union committee to divert workers’ attention from the strike, inducing fear about potential consequences. These tactics resulted in worker backlash, expelling union members from the company’s premises. Efforts by clothing factory engineers to negotiate workers’ return to work proved unsuccessful.
With the company operating at only 20% capacity and undergoing a gradual asset sell-off for liquidation, CFJ expresses full solidarity with striking employees. The committee urges the company’s management to address legitimate worker demands promptly, settle outstanding dues, and cease intimidation tactics.
CFJ calls on the Egyptian authorities, specifically the Ministry of Labor, to intervene swiftly to prevent the crisis from worsening. Additionally, the committee urges a reconsideration of the recently announced minimum wage for Ghazl El Mahalla Company employees in light of the nation’s severe economic crisis.
In conclusion, CFJ advocates for a peaceful resolution to the Ghazl El-Mahalla strike, emphasizing the inherent human right of workers to protest and calling for responsible actions from both the company’s management and Egyptian authorities.