FAYOUM: Five hundred workers staged a demonstration outside the Ghazl El-Fayoum factory Saturday to protest against its imminent closure.
Abdel Aziz Moussa, 40, who has worked at the factory for 18 years, told Daily News Egypt, “It is due to close down in the next couple of days. We were given notice that we would be made redundant on Feb. 26, but then kept being told that the decision was cancelled. Now they have decided to go ahead with it.
According to workers, the chairman of the administrative board, Mahmoud Aboul Fotouh, has offered certain workers LE 40,000 as redundancy pay, depending on the period they have worked for the company. However, only those who have worked for the company for more than 40 years will receive a pension.
“We don’t want this money, said Rifaat Mohamed, 45, “We want to work, and we will not be able to find work elsewhere with the current employment rates. I have worked in this factory since I was 15, and have five children to support.
Workers allege that Mohsen El-Jilaly, president of the company, called for the closure of the factory on the basis that the machines used are old and cannot be repaired. However, they disagree saying that there is nothing wrong with the machines.
