The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented arbitrary measures taken by the management of Cerámica “Inova” (formerly “Pharaohs”), located in the Kom Oshim Industrial Zone in Fayoum, against its workers.
According to sources, the company’s management has prepared a new list containing 300 workers, with plans to arbitrarily terminate them in the coming days, amid tense conditions within the company due to the suspension of most production departments caused by a shortage of raw materials.
The sources also indicated that management continues to systematically delay salary payments, as wages for the month of March have yet to be disbursed, exacerbating the suffering of workers and causing widespread frustration.
At the beginning of March, the company arbitrarily dismissed approximately 350 workers—among them 57 women and 130 individuals with disabilities, representing the legally mandated 5% quota—after they refused to accept a mandatory six-month leave during which they would only receive their base salaries.
In an attempt to compensate for the labor shortage resulting from the previous wave of arbitrary dismissals, management forced the remaining workers to endure excessively long shifts of up to 16 hours per day. Despite this, the crisis worsened significantly, with 90% of the company’s departments ceasing operations two weeks ago due to the ongoing shortage of raw materials.
One worker, who requested anonymity, revealed that the new list includes employees from supporting departments such as security, administrative affairs, and warehouses. He noted that the company’s owner, Mohamed Fawzy, personally submitted this list to the office of the Fayoum governor during a meeting held last Sunday with the deputy governor, Dr. Mohamed El-Toni. However, the outcome of this meeting remains unclear.
The worker emphasized that there is significant fear among the employees that management may exploit the current operational halt and force them into extended leave periods to justify further arbitrary dismissals.
Another source, who works in one of the administrative departments, added that the company received a notice from the governor’s office regarding the electricity company’s intention to cut off power due to an outstanding debt amounting to millions of Egyptian pounds. The source stated that the company owner brought the list of workers slated for dismissal during his visit to the governorate headquarters, attempting to argue that his inability to pay the debt stems from the cost of employee salaries, despite the government already covering one-third of those salaries.
For its part, the CFJ strongly condemns these arbitrary measures taken by the management of Cerámica “Inova” against its workers, which blatantly violate both Egyptian laws and international labor standards.
The CFJ affirms full solidarity with the affected workers, who are enduring harsh conditions as a result of these unjust policies. The committee demands the reinstatement of those previously dismissed without cause and calls for halting any new termination measures.
Furthermore, the CFJ urges Egypt’s Ministry of Manpower to intervene immediately to stop these arbitrary actions and ensure the enforcement of laws that safeguard workers’ rights while protecting them from future violations. Additionally, The committee calls for establishing mechanisms that prevent the company from bankruptcy while guaranteeing the rights of the workforce.
