By: Nourhan Dakroury
Workers from electricity companies from around the country went on strike on Sunday at the Cabinet.
Workers Media Coordinator at the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) Dalia Moussa said that the workers have been treated unequally and have complained of increasing corruption in the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
“Those who work in the holding company have more privileges than those who work in the subsidy companies,” Moussa said.
She said that school grants for workers’ children are deducted from their bonuses although the grants are provided by the government.
She added that this is the first time that workers from all over Egypt have come together on strike.
According to ECESR, the workers are demanding workers from the holding company and the subsidy companies be given the same rights, healthcare be provided for them and their families, school grants be given to the workers’ children, and all syndicates be treated equally.
Ahmed Moheb, secretary general of the Electricity and Energy Workers Union, said that the council demanded the formation of a delegation of workers to negotiate with the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
The workers refused to form the delegation because they have previously met with the ministry and only received empty promises from officials, according to Wael Aql, president of the Workers Union.
“We are going to hold out for a concrete timetable setting out when our demands will be addressed,” Moheb said.
He added that if this timetable is not issued soon, workers will go on an open-ended strike.
