(DNE File Photo)
Workers of state-owned Mahalla Spinning and Weaving factory continued their strike for the sixth day on Saturday.
The strike nearly adjourned over the weekend, as the workers were set to receive their late bonuses Saturday, but resumed regardless.
“We are agitated with the media statements of the commissioner and chairman about our strike,” said Mohamed Fathy, one of the striking workers. “They accused us of sabotage and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which cannot be further from the truth.”
Fathy added that the workers have demands escalated and they are now calling for the resignation of “the corrupt” management, which he claimed had cost the company massive losses. He also asserted that the current syndicate board does not represent the workers and has “acted against them”, in reference to statements by syndicate factory head Mohamed Sannad, who had announced possession of a list of striking workers.
“Our strike will continue in full capacity, until all our demands are met, and we will protect each other,” Fathy stressed.
The workers had initially requested the payment of their late bonus for 2013, which they were supposed to receive in December, but its delivery was delayed until February. The workers began their sit-in on the factory premises last Monday. Meanwhile, a delegation from the factory workers syndicate had travelled to Cairo last Sunday to meet the Minister of Finance and sign the cheque to pay the workers’ late bonuses, with the meeting concluded on Monday night.
The workers’ demands escalated on their first day of their strike to request the resignation of: Chairman of the Holding Company for Cotton Spinning and Weaving Abdel-Alim Hassan, the Commissioner of the Spinning and Weaving Company Abdel Fattah Al-Zoghby, and the re-election of the workers syndicate.
The largest workers strikes organised in the industrial city of Mahalla took place back on 6 April 2008.
The General Union of Spinning and Weaving Workers and the Ministry of Man Power were not available to comment.
