Egyptian Politics: People's Protest Index

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Egyptians have been said to say that if you don't like the government,  wait a hundred years and it will change. 
The attitude was supposed to be a legacy of the country's 5000 year history of rule by Pharoahs and foreigners (i.e., until Nasser in 1954).  They call themselves patient; a people who dislike confrontation; a people who have endured, with moans and jokes, the rule of the strong-armed Hosni Mubarak since 1981.  

They breaking their historical habit around the middle of this decade: the number, size and variety of protests has been steadily increasing-especially in labor. 

Because the Supreme Council for the Armed Forces (SCAF), now running Egypt, has not kept its promises, Egyptians continue to use the one tool they have to express their political opinions.

A sample of their protests is below.

Year/Issue

Action

Result

2011

   

October 24
Better working conditions, removal of current minister, payment of promised wages, better medical care and trial in civilian, not military courts, for low-ranking police.

Thousands of low level policemen protest at Ministry of Interior  

October 9
Failure of government to protect Coptic Chistian churches and Coptic citizens from attack.

10,000 Copts and their Muslim friends protest in front of State Television and Radio building. Field Marshall Tantawi meets with Coptic Pope Shenouda to discuss issues.

September 30
Re-imposition of emergency laws, military trials of civilians-which deprive them of basic rights, lack of confidence in military's willingness to transfer power to civiians.

Million man march in Cairo planned  
September 17
Public transport workers call for better wages, 200% increase in minimum salaries promised to others in public sector, upgraded bus fleet,uniforms, and 10-month bonus for retiring drivers
10 day strike by members of Independent Union of Transport Workers. 25% of Cairo's depots affection. Dozens began a hunger strike. After first refusing to meet with union representatives, government acceded.  A tentative agreement reached on September 27.
September
  • Restructucturing of wage system and and removal of corrupt figures.

  • Restructucturing of wage system and and removal of corrupt figures.
No response from SCAF
September
Postal Service corrupt managers, over-paid consultants, lack of annual pay increase to keep up with inflation, and call for200% bonus for workers meeting annual production goals

Strikers closed down 50% of operations

No response from SCAF
August
Maikel Nabil, activist and blogger, arrested after revolution for criticizing military, demands release.
 Hunger strike As of September 27, Nabil is nearing death.

June
Variety of issues

 

Scattered strikes by employees of Nasr Car Company, tenant farmers, graduates of Al-Azhar University, staff from antiquities ministry. No response from SCAF
May
Doctors and hospital workers call for minimum and maxmimum wage as well as improved working conditions. 
Strikes on and off since May.  
Establishment of one independent uinion of hospital workers.
No response from SCAF

January/February

18-day protest calling for:

  • resignation of Hosni Mubarak
  • repeal of emergency laws
  • respects for citizens and law
12 million Egyptians said to have protested around the country.
  • Mubarak resigns
  • Transitional military government established

2010



June

Failure of Egypt's prosecutor to charge two police officers with deadly bruality in the  arrest and death of Khaled Said, a businessman and alleged publisher of information on police corruption.

11000 citizens In October 2011, two policeman were found guilty of killing Said and sentenced to 7 years in prison.



2009


 


February
Failure of Shebeen el Kom textile company  to pay incentives as promised.



Up to 4200 textile workers at Shebeen el Kom Textile company strike  Company paid up.
May-November
 
Demand for Saudi and Egyptian government owners of Tanta Flax and Oil firing of workers who participated in 2007 strike as well as issues around wages and badly managed privitization.
1000 flax and oil workers strike Court  favors reinstating the seven workers; wages issues unresolved.

December
Confiscation and destruction of photojournalist's cameras. Arrest and/or physical assault by police of journalists covering  pro-Gaza protests.

Photojournalists silent protest Government continued to harrass journalists

2008

More than 1000 actions

 

March
  Government-directed union's failure to represent workers.
6000 workers at Misr Spinning and Weaving striike Government shows nervousness


April 6, 200
Repressive government and rising cost of food.

General Strike,
promoted by Facebook activists, quieted the streets but did not meet goals of activists.
 A month later, President Mubarak raised government employees salaries by 30%. (Not long after he reduced the subsidy on gas.)

2007

580 actions  
September
  Protest again the arrest and trial of journalist Ibrahim Issa for reporting that the president's health might have been poor.


15 opposition and private publishers refuse to publish
Court  favors reinstating the seven workers; wages issues unresolved.

September

Salaries dramatically lower than most government workers and dramatically lower than those in Ministry of Finance.

24000 workers strike
Government offers a bonues equivalent to 45 days pay, payable immediately and 10% of profit over 60 million Egyptian pounds. Said to mark a new phase in labor protests in Egypt: The action was not spontaneous but well-strategized and organized.

Tax collectors salaries dramatically lower than most government workers and dramatically lower than those in Ministry of Finance.

Tax collectors protest

Collectors established an independent union and their pay more than doubled.

Variety of bread and butter complaints Strikes by transport workers, subway workers, food processing workers, garbage collectors, poultry workers, bakers and physicians Varied
2006

222 Actions

 
Failure of a  government owned el-Mahalla textile company Misr Spinning and Weaving to  pay promised bonuses.
3000 women lead strike of an ultimate 27000
  • Factory temporarily closed down; three days of demonstrations.
  • Egyptian labor expert Joel Beinin said strike  "reverberated" throughout the textile sector. Government bends.

2005

   


  May
Judges object against their loss of supervisory control over elections

Judges threaten boycott


No change

 

400 workers strike

No change

 

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