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March 24, 2024

Statement of Solidarity with the Workers’ Union of Suez Canal Clubs

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists, political parties and activist figures

Statement of solidarity with the Workers’ Union of Suez Canal Clubs against the unlawful campaign launched by the Ministry of Labor and executive agencies to dismantle the union, halt its activities, infringe upon the authority of its general assembly, and strip the workers of Suez Canal Clubs of their right to organize and choose their representatives, in violation of the 2014 Egyptian Constitution, Law No. 213 of 2017 on Trade Union Organizations, and international agreements ratified by Egypt, such as Convention No. 98 of 1949 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining and Convention No. 87 of 1948 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize.

Since the union’s establishment in 2012, workers of the Suez Canal Clubs have suffered numerous infringements, including interference in union elections and attempts to constrain the union council and prevent it from defending workers’ rights and protecting their legitimate rights.

The latest of these infringements came following the decision of the Minister of Labor and Suez Canal Clubs officials to stop deducting union dues from workers, which was a blatant violation of the constitution and the law.

Additionally, the administration has withheld union dues already deducted from workers in February 2024, threatening the union’s ability to meet its financial obligations and potentially leading to its dissolution, thereby hindering its continued operation.

The undersigned affirm the following:

  1. Full solidarity and support for the workers of the Suez Canal Clubs, their union, its council, and the elected union president, Karam Abdel Halim, as decided by the general assembly on August 10, 2022, and in compliance with the Ministry of Labor’s Decision No. 1061 dated September 8, 2022.
  2. Rejection of all forms of constitutional and legal violations and the workers’ right to organize and choose their representatives. This approach opposes the public interest and stability, fostering instability and causing workers to fear for their future and legitimate rights, thereby affecting Egypt’s reputation in human rights.
  3. Call on the Minister of Labor and the administration of Suez Canal Clubs to reverse this decision and refrain from interfering in the affairs of the Workers’ Union of Suez Canal Clubs as per the constitution, law, and international agreements and to allow free union activities. The stability of workers and union activities is the most important guarantee for the stability of nations.

Signatories

First: Entities

  1. Conservative Party
  2. Alkarama Party
  3. Egyptian Social Democratic Party
  4. Revolutionary Socialists Movement
  5. Socialist Popular Alliance Party
  6. Bread and Freedom Party
  7. Egyptian Communist Party
  8. Solidarity Union of Labor Unions
  9. Union of Adult Education Workers
  10. Union of Real Estate Tax Workers in Ismailia
  11. General Union of Ambulance Workers
  12. Union of Fishermen in Damietta
  13. Drivers Services Union in Qalyubia
  14. Tourism Workers Union in Cairo
  15. Small Farmers Union
  16. Quality Workers Union
  17. Union of Fishermen in Ezbet El-Borg and Ras El-Bar
  18. Union of Fishermen in Al-Gamaliah, Dakahlia
  19. Union of Workers at Telecom Egypt (WE)
  20. Union of Workers at Mona Lisa Company
  21. Union of Workers in University Cities at Al-Azhar
  22. Union of Workers in Local Development in Menouf
  23. Union of Workers in Foreign Trade
  24. Union of Workers at the Faculty of Law, Ain Shams University
  25. Union of Real Estate Tax Workers in Kafr El-Sheikh

Second: Individuals

  1. Yousry Maarouf, Member of the Committee of Fifty for the drafting of the Egyptian Constitution
  2. Kamal Abbas, Director of the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services
  3. Gamal Eid, Human Rights Lawyer
  4. Sarah Ramadan, Journalist and Researcher
  5. Kamal Abu Eita, Former Minister of Manpower and Member of the Presidential Pardon Committee
  6. Ahmed El-Maghraby, President of the Solidarity Union of Labor Unions
  7. Akram Ismail, Engineer
  8. Asmaa Zeidan, Journalist
  9. Ola Shahba, Researcher
  10. Omaima Emad, Agricultural Engineer
  11. Saeed Abu Taleb, Retired Engineer
  12. Mona Mina, Former Secretary-General of the Doctors’ Syndicate
  13. Mahienour El-Massry, Lawyer
  14. Iman Aouf, Journalist
  15. Bisan Kassab, Journalist
  16. Nada Saad, Lawyer
  17. Naglaa Abdel Gawad, Academic Researcher in History
  18. Suzanne Nada, Lawyer and Founder of the Bread and Freedom Party
  19. Sarah El-Sebaie, Egyptian Citizen
  20. Shaimaa Hamdi, Journalist and Researcher
  21. Mahmoud Magdy, Lawyer
  22. Noha Kamal, Egyptian Citizen
  23. Rabab Azzam, Journalist
  24. Samar Ibrahim, Teacher
  25. Abdel Raouf Hussein, Secretary-General of the Solidarity Union of Labor Unions
  26. Magda Adly, Doctor
  27. Aya Anwar, Researcher
  28. Rasha Azab, Journalist and Writer
  29. Mohamed Naguib, Assistant Treasurer of the Solidarity Union of Labor Unions
  30. Hussein El-Masry, Training Program Coordinator at the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services
  31. Hassan Badawi, Journalist
  32. Mohamed Fathy, Employee
  33. Ahmed Khalifa, Journalist
  34. Salah Al-Ansari, Trade Union Training Expert
  35. Elham Eidarus, Founder of the Bread and Freedom Party
  36. Gamal Osman, Labor Secretary of the Dignity Party
  37. Wafaa El-Ashry, Researcher