Egypt Workers Solidarity campaign set up
The initiators of a new Egypt Workers Solidarity campaign are seeking signatories to the statement below. They are looking to start a campaign with wide support to pursue the lines in the statement.
The need for such a campaign is all the more pressing with the Egyptian military increasing its threats to ban the strike wave that is sweeping the country.
The campaign has set up a website http://www.egyptworkersolidarity.org/ and the email address for correspondence is info@egyptworkersolidarity.org. Email them if you want to sign the statement.
The statement
“The emergence of free and independent trade unions in Egypt is an event of enormous significance for the entire region and is to be welcomed by trade unionists around the world.
“We call upon the International Labour Organisation, the TUC, the International Trade Union Confederation, and the global union federations to recognize these new unions as the legitimate representatives of the Egyptian workers. The state-controlled labour front, the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), should not be recognised as a genuine union organisation.
“We call upon the Egyptian government and the military to respect the internationally-recognised rights to join and form trade unions, including the right to strike.
“We will do everything we can in our unions and in the TUC to support the emerging Egyptian trade unions including solidarity delegations, provision of training and equipment, and financial support.”
- Matt Wrack, Dave Green, Len McCluskey and Tony Woodley have signed the EWS statement
