{"id":5798,"date":"2016-09-21T03:21:32","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T03:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/litci.org\/en\/?p=5798"},"modified":"2016-09-21T03:21:32","modified_gmt":"2016-09-21T03:21:32","slug":"solidarity-with-alexandria-shipyard-workers-open-letter-to-the-global-trade-union-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/litci.org\/en\/solidarity-with-alexandria-shipyard-workers-open-letter-to-the-global-trade-union-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Solidarity with Alexandria Shipyard workers \u2013 open letter to the global trade union movement"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

URGENT: TRIAL HEARING POSTPONED UNTIL 18 SEPTEMBER<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

RUSH MESSAGES OF PROTEST TO THE EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES NOW<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Solidarity with Alexandria Shipyard Workers \u2013 No to Military Trials for Workers<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Dear brothers and sisters,<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

\n

We are writing to ask for your support for a campaign in solidarity with 26 workers at the Alexandria Shipyard Company in Alexandria who are in detention centres awaiting sentence by a military judge on 16 August 2016 [now postponed until 18 September] on charges of refusing to work and incitement to strike. Their trial lacks many rights that civil courts enjoy in Egypt.<\/p>\n

The workers, who have been detained since 24 May have not committed a single crime under military law. Moreover, the actions which led to their detention are described as peaceful protests and a strike demanding a raise in their salaries, and calling for the development and improvement of production in the Shipyard, and work safety measures including protection from occupational injuries such as burns.<\/p>\n

The Alexandria Shipyard Company cannot be considered a military facility and workers at it cannot be considered military workers. Rather, they are civilian workers who joined the company years ago when the company was part of the public sector which is a civilians sector. Therefore, the workers are subject to labour regulation under civil law.<\/p>\n

The ownership of the company has evolved since its foundation in 1960, followed by a move to the Marine Industries and Services Organization which is affiliated with the Armed Forces. Therefore, everything that happens within the company has become subject to and within jurisdiction of military courts, according to military law.<\/p>\n

Putting the Alexandria Shipyard workers on trial in a military court is a plain violation of international covenants, to which Egypt is a signatory. These state that workers enjoy the right to peaceful protests, in addition to freedom of expression and the right to negotiations to realize their legitimate demands for fair salaries and appropriate conditions of work.<\/p>\n

We urge you to take action to spread the word about the trial and send immediate protests to Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi and the Egyptian Minister of Labour calling for the immediate release of the Alexandria Shipyard workers.<\/p>\n

Signatories:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mettawa Mahran, founder, Independent Union for Private Sector Workers (in formation)<\/p>\n

Su\u2019ad Omar, trade unionist<\/p>\n

Raed al-Husseini, president, Independent Teachers Union<\/p>\n

Egyptian Union of Oil Workers<\/p>\n

Fatma Ramadan, trade unionist<\/p>\n

What you can do:<\/strong><\/p>\n