Generals and Labourers

Since Mubarak was toppled the Egyptian Militaries Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has been in difficult balancing act, on the one hand it wants to maintain as much of the old regime as possible (since you know it the days of corruption and Dictatorship where good for them) whilst giving the protesters, activists and Revolutionaries just enough reform to placate them enough to peel away there support and let fatigue take care of the more motivated rump.

Fortunately that plan seems to have come a cropper as they say recently. Protests have not only continued but increase and have in fact widened in scope I'm sure we all remember the recent diplomatic embarrassment for SCAF as it was forced to strain its ties with Israel and by extension Washington, but even that concession wasn't strong enough to prevent the Egyptian populations long simmering anger over the alliance of convenience between Cairo Tel-Aviv and Washington and their actions have forced the situation to deteriorate even further. The deal started by Sadat and strengthened under his successor Mubarak has not only meant that the noose was tightened on the Palestinian people, it also meant that Egypt formally an independent regional power became subservient to the United States global strategies.

Elsewhere in Egypt opposition to the Junta's domestic polices remain strong. Currnetly Egypts trade unions whom still face discrimination and oppression from the security services have kicked off a wave of strikes to force to the government to recognise there organisations and address there grievances. Labour Start (a partner of the Industrial Workers World)has a campaign on to pressure the Egyptian government -whom lets remember are desperate for some good press to encourage tourism and trade- to create a law(s) to acknowledge and protect workers rights. It can be found here.



Egyptian workers campaign for change in minimum wage.



Students demonstrate to dissolve appointed student bodies and an end to government informants spying on young activists and free debate.