We have been eagerly following the developments of the last months on Tahrir Square, the activities in the factories, offices, hospitals, public transports, universities, shops and streets, and the social movements all over Egypt. We congratulate the Egyptian people on their many new born unions and the successful industrial actions.
We, from the Free Workers' Union (Freie ArbeiterInnen-Union - FAU), a grassroots union in Germany, want to express our solidarity with the workers and the independent unions in Egypt. We condemn every attempt to undermine the rights of workers in Egypt, such as the anti-strike law or putting labor activists on trial. We demand an end to these hostile acts towards workers.
We admire your resoluteness and willpower to fight for your rights, despite all attempts by the army council or interim government to stop you. Don't be misled by those who worry more about the state of economy than the hunger and humiliation of the workers and the poor. You are the basis of the economy. You are giving your lives for the profits of others. And nobody has the right to tell the workers, unemployed and day laborers that they shall starve and be exploited. Everyone has the right to make a good living in dignity.
In some ways, your fight for union freedoms reminds us of the situation in Germany. We must also fight here for the freedom to form unions, for the rights of the workers to take industrial action with the union of their choice and not only those that the court allows. We have had early successes, but the fight goes on.
We are curious to know more about your situation, your struggles and future developments and want to support you with all that lies within our means.
Borders shall not divide us.
FAU-IWA Berlin & FAU-IWA Interntational Secretariat
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