Final Statement of the Solidarity Conference with the Workers of “Samannoud Textiles”

The closing statement of the solidarity conference with the workers of “Samannoud Textiles” was held yesterday at the Karama Party, with the participation of various political parties, movements, and labor leaders, in support of the workers’ ongoing strike to demand the implementation of the minimum wage increase to 6,000 Egyptian pounds.

The political and labor forces gathered at the Karama Party on Sunday, September 15, expressed their full support for the strike by the Samannoud workers, which has been ongoing since August 17. The strike calls for the enforcement of the presidential decision to raise the minimum wage to 6,000 pounds.
At the same time, the attendees condemned the “Alamein Government” for conspiring with business owners and company administrations to undermine the rights of workers and people experiencing poverty.
The participants emphasized that the struggle of the Samannoud workers is part of the larger struggle of Egyptian workers everywhere, who are currently fighting for wage increases in the face of rising prices and the devaluation of the national currency.
They highlighted the workers’ resilience despite challenges, including intimidation, arrests, suspended wages, and job stoppages. Their persistence is part of a broader fight for a fairer distribution of wealth in a society that favors wage earners, as well as a push to dismantle the police state and build a democratic society that respects the right to strike, protest, and organize.
The participants welcomed the release of the eight Samannoud workers, including union leader Hisham El-Banna. However, they insisted on holding accountable those responsible for the unprecedented arrests of female workers from their homes without even allowing them to change clothes and the harsh treatment of Hisham El-Banna, who was arrested blindfolded and handcuffed from his home.
Despite the various initiatives to resolve the crisis, the attendees expressed frustration with the government’s continued negligence and complicity in ignoring the workers’ demands, especially since Samannoud Textiles is a government-owned company.
Furthermore, the Minister of Planning, who oversees the National Investment Bank, the largest shareholder in the company, is also a member of the National Council for Wages. Yet, the council has still not convened to address the company’s request, which was submitted on May 23.
The Ministry of Labor has also failed to compel the company’s administration to implement the wage increase as required by regulations, pending a decision on the request. The participants emphasized that workers have the right to form their own independent union, particularly given the collusion of the official union and the ruthless behavior of capitalists who are stripping workers of their rights. These workers face the new school year with empty pockets, unable to provide their children with basic necessities like clothing, school bags, and books.
The attendees reiterated the need to abolish the unfair restrictions in the labor law that limit the right to strike and expose striking workers to dismissal and imprisonment.
They also stressed that the company’s struggles are not the fault of the workers but the responsibility of an administration that treats the company as an “asset” to be profited from through its sale.
Finally, we reaffirm our commitment to continue working together, under all circumstances, to support the struggle of the Samannoud workers and all Egyptian workers for the following:
1. The implementation of the presidential decision to raise the minimum wage to 6,000 pounds—a figure that even the president himself has said is insufficient, as he previously stated that no family can cover their living expenses with less than 10,000 pounds.
2. The reinstatement of the suspended ten labor leaders and their immediate return to work.
3. The immediate payment of the workers’ overdue wages.
4. A system to link wages to rising prices.

Long live the struggle of the Samannoud workers.
Long live the struggle of the working class.