Cosatu message of solidarity-Egyptian

Cosatu message of solidarity with striking Egyptian workers

30-10-07

COSATU message of solidarity with striking Egyptian workers

On Sunday 21st October, 55,000 Egyptian real estate tax officers started a strike, demanding improvement in work conditions to be on par with their counterparts in other government civil service sectors. In effect the strike started right after the Eid holidays through work stoppages; there was a 90 percent drop in tax collection activity. The geographical scale of the strike is significant as it will include provinces from Upper (South) and Lower (North) Egypt.

The real estate tax officers are employed by the local councils and receive only one-fourth of the monthly salary (LE 1200/$216, including bonuses) of their colleagues at the Ministry of Finance.

Approximately 3000 strikers from Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Monofiye, Beni Sueif, Menya, Daqahlia and Beheria gathered outside the Ministry of Finance and chanted slogans against Fianance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali and Islamil Abdel Rasul, head of the Real Estate Tax Administration.

There are rumours that the government will solve the tax collectors problems by December 1st, though this has not stopped the strike and strike organisers have promised that no taxes will be collected until that date. If demands are not met by then the tax collectors will launch another round of protests.

In this regard, therefore COSATU sends fraternal greetings and a message of support to the striking workers, particularly in a country that has evaded the international human rights radar for far too long, owing to its surrogate relationship with the western powers, particularly the US. It is currently the biggest receipient of US aid outside of Israel and is playing double standards when it comes to matters of international solidarity with the suffering people of Palestine.

We support these workers in the context of our demand for democracy in that country too. It can not be allowed to avoid the focus of the international movement for democracy and social justice in Africa and beyond.