The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented ongoing violations against workers at “Semnoud Weaving Company,” where management detained workers beyond official working hours and deducted from their wages without any legal basis. The chairman of the company also launched a verbal attack on female workers after both male and female workers stopped work for only half an hour to demand the remainder of their March dues, of which they had received only 80%, without the annual bonus.
These practices are not new; violations have been repeated over the past year under management that directly reports to the Minister of Investment, who also holds the position of Chairperson of the National Wages Council. The crises peaked in September 2024 when management reported ten workers, leading to arrest warrants being issued against them. They were imprisoned under harsh and degrading conditions for over two weeks, simply for demanding the implementation of the minimum wage.
The retaliatory practices did not stop there. The management arbitrarily dismissed labor leader Hisham Al-Banna, despite his acquittal of the charges against him. Since then, he has been receiving only half of his basic salary, a blatant violation of the law.
As for the latest chapter of this conflict, it was marked by the chairman of the board verbally assaulting female workers with offensive language and ordering their detention beyond official working hours without pay. He also deducted part of their wages for merely stopping work for five minutes to demand the remainder of their March dues. Furthermore, he referred those who demanded the annual bonus for investigation, inventing a “new theory” that stipulates adding the bonus to variable pay instead of basic pay—a precedent that contradicts all norms practiced in both public and private sectors.
For its part, the CFJ calls for the immediate cessation of these grave violations against workers at “Semnoud Weaving Company” and the opening of urgent and independent investigations into these incidents to ensure accountability for those responsible.
The CFJ also calls on the Ministries of Labor and Investment to enforce the law firmly, particularly regarding the minimum wage law, which is enacted to protect workers’ rights and ensure a decent life for them. The committee emphasizes the need for immediate intervention to end the arbitrary measures adopted by the company’s management, including illegal deductions, forced detention, and arbitrary dismissals.
The CFJ stresses that the continuation of such practices without accountability fosters an environment of injustice and oppression and exacerbates social and economic crises. The committee urges the relevant authorities to take serious steps to ensure respect for workers’ rights and the application of legal and international standards that guarantee their dignity and safety.
