General Strike to continue the Revolution in Egypt

On Saturday, 11 February a general strike and large demonstrations rocked Egypt, demanding the withdrawal of the military from power and real changes in Egyptian society. [Castellano]

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General Strike to continue the Revolution in Egypt

On Saturday, 11 February a general strike and large demonstrations rocked Egypt, demanding the withdrawal of the military from power and real changes in Egyptian society.

Meanwhile, the process of establishing independent unionism in Egypt continues to advance, with the 2nd conference of the Egyptian Democratic Labour Congress (EDLC) on 6 January last.

The second conference, specially convened in order to prepare the celebration of the founding congress and go on to set up regional and sectoral federations, was attended by 206 unions.

The need for a law to fully recognize trade union rights, the end to all manoeuvring to maintain Mubarak's single union, the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) and its corrupt and oppressive apparatus, and the struggle against the repression of new unions that is taking place in the workplace, are the main objectives at this time of the EDLC.

Call for a general strike by the Center for Trade Union and Workers' Services (CTUWS)

A year has passed since the revolution but the blood of Egyptians is still being split on the streets.

A year has passed since the revolution but martyrs are still falling today in front of the Maspero building, in Mohamed Mahmoud street, again in the street where the cabinet buildings stands, the street of government departments and recently at the stadium in Port Said and around the Ministry of the Interior...

A year has passed since the revolution and the president has still not been sentenced...

A year has passed since the revolution and the martyrs have still not been avenged...

A year has passed since the revolution and the puppets of the toppled president are still managing the State's institutions and still following the orders of the supporters of the former regime who are living in Turah, the "tourist resort" from where they lead their conspiracy and plot to increase the number of martyrs, dancing on the ripped, broken hearts of mothers...

A year has passed since the revolution and the slogans of the revolution that millions of Egyptians hoisted on their flags are still just words on walls or on banners carried by marching protesters...

A year has passed since the revolution and the military high council still continues to impose its authority regardless of its promises to give up power and despite its inability to manage the affairs of the country...

A year has passed since the revolution and the workers' demands are still ignored... still no minimum wage has been fixed or permanent contracts for temporary workers...

A year has passed since the revolution and the members of the Council of the ETUF (Mubarak's union), which was against the revolution, are still using the workers' dues at their whim...

Today, Egypt is going through the second great wave of revolution... the Egyptian people demonstrating on the streets that their revolutionary march goes on...

Today, Egyptian workers have to speak out... they must answer the call of the revolution and participate in the General Strike on 11 February.

It is a general strike which aims:

• to hurry the elected presidential council into giving up power
• to seek justice for our martyrs
• to punish all those who held up the pillars of the old regime.

So that Egypt can be a land of dignity, freedom and social justice!

Center for Trade Union and Workers' Services

Translation by FdCA - International Relations Office