Torah Cement workers pursue rights, Egypt
The trade unionist’s battle at Torah Cement, a unit of the Suez Cement group of Companies (SCGC) – a unit of Italcementi – is continuing.
Having staged numerous sit-ins over the past few weeks and engaged in many negotiations and legal proceedings with both the company’s management and the ministry of manpower and immigration, Torah Cement’s 1,000-strong work force and trade union are using all possible avenues to attain their 10 per cent profit share which they say is their legal right.
The company’s trade union delegation have recently presented a draft proposal, outlining the distribution of LE43bn - equivalent to the 10 per cent profit share, according to financial results the management announced earlier this month.
On Tuesday, 29 March the draft, which had to be ratified by Torah Cement’s trade union and management under the auspices of Minister of Manpower Ahmed Hassan El-Borai, was rejected by the management’s representative. According to corporate law no 159, adopted in 1981, workers have the right to at least 10 per cent of the revenues or the equivalent of their wages in one year as a share of the profits. But this article has never been adhered to in Egypt.
Published under Cement News
