By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa Al-Omrani
(left) Abdelhalim Kandil, editor-in-chief of prominent independent weekly Sout Al-Umma
"CAIRO, Mar 16 (IPS) - Egypt has seen a wave of labour strikes in recent weeks by workers in a range of professions from lawyers to truck drivers. Although strikers' specific demands vary, commentators generally attribute the phenomenon to increasingly difficult economic circumstances......
Last year, public disaffection climaxed with a nationwide labour strike on Apr. 6 - involving workers of many professions in both the public and private sectors - to protest skyrocketing food prices and political stagnation. Although the number of participants was never determined, the Apr. 6 strike - organised largely through social networking website Facebook - has come to be viewed as a successful recent example of nationwide labour solidarity.
"The people have woken up twice," wrote Kandil. "Once on April 6 of last year, and now again in recent weeks, which have seen a wave of strikes that have paralysed the regime's decision-making.
"Egypt is seeing three new workers' strikes every day, and the phenomenon is set to increase further," Kandil said, warning of the dangers of widespread economic hardship and labour disaffection. "Sooner or later, this wind will turn into a storm, which will sweep away this unrighteous regime." "
(left) Abdelhalim Kandil, editor-in-chief of prominent independent weekly Sout Al-Umma
"CAIRO, Mar 16 (IPS) - Egypt has seen a wave of labour strikes in recent weeks by workers in a range of professions from lawyers to truck drivers. Although strikers' specific demands vary, commentators generally attribute the phenomenon to increasingly difficult economic circumstances......
Last year, public disaffection climaxed with a nationwide labour strike on Apr. 6 - involving workers of many professions in both the public and private sectors - to protest skyrocketing food prices and political stagnation. Although the number of participants was never determined, the Apr. 6 strike - organised largely through social networking website Facebook - has come to be viewed as a successful recent example of nationwide labour solidarity.
"The people have woken up twice," wrote Kandil. "Once on April 6 of last year, and now again in recent weeks, which have seen a wave of strikes that have paralysed the regime's decision-making.
"Egypt is seeing three new workers' strikes every day, and the phenomenon is set to increase further," Kandil said, warning of the dangers of widespread economic hardship and labour disaffection. "Sooner or later, this wind will turn into a storm, which will sweep away this unrighteous regime." "
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