The management of Al Hennawy Tobacco Factory located in the city of Damanhour prevented yesterday (Saturday 30th August, 2008) thirty two of its female workers from entering the factory. The factory officials told them that the owner of the factory has issued a decision to fire them. The 32 female workers went to the Labour Office on Thursday (28th August, 2008) to give testimony in favour of their colleague Ms. Safaa Kandeel. The factory owner had fired Safaa Kandeel earlier because she refused to sign a waiver of the amounts due to her by virtue of a court judgment. The factory owner claimed that she had torn off some papers related to the factory. Her colleagues went to the Labour Office to testify that such an allegation is not true. At the beginning, the Labour Office refused to listen to the testimony of the 32 female workers. Only when they protested in front of the Labour Office that the Office Director listened to them and registered their testimony.
When they were prevented from entering the factory on Saturday, they went to the Labour Office to file a complaint against the factory owner. The Director of the Labour Office kept them waiting for a long time outside the Office under the pretension that he was busy. Then he came to them to emphasize that their employer fired them because they did not observe the work hours. The workers were sure that the Labour Office Director was acting in collusion with the Factory Owner. Then they were surprised to see one of the State Security Officers with them inside the Labour Office. He insulted them and used improper language when they expressed their refusal to the behavior of the Labour Office Director.
When they returned to their factory they found police cars and ambulances awaiting for them. Policemen attacked them and as a result both Azhar Yussef Mesallim and Hanaa Ahmed Thabet were injured. They filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office of Damanhour.
While the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS) salutes the solidarity of the female workers of Al Hennawy Tobacco Factory with their colleague Safaa Kandeel, the CTUWS announces its solidarity with all the workers who were fired and condemns the unjust assault of the security forces
against the female workers who were calling for their legitimate rights. The CTUWS calls for investigating the collusion of the Labour Office Director of Damanhour with the Owner of the Factory to fabricate reasons for the workers’ dismissal. At the same time, the CTUWS calls upon all the democratic powers of the Egyptian society to express solidarity with the female workers of Al Hennawy Tobacco Factory against the oppression of the Factory Owner.
Please send your solidarity messages to:
H.E. President of the
Fax No. 002 (0) 2 33901998
Ministry for Manpower
Fax No. 002 (0) 2 33035332
Fax No. 002 (0) 2 25753427
Fax No. 002 (0) 2 2794 2435
Saic12@idsc1.gov.eg
primemin@idsc.gov.eg
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS)
31st August 2008
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