Manpower Minister Kamal Abu Eita received a report on the ministry’s activities in the field of labor relations and collective negotiations, pointing to 70 cases of protest from 1 July to 30 November.
According to the report, 50 of these these cases caused a stop in work. Labor law maintains that this does not qualify as an organized strike.
However, 20 after-hour sit-ins were also held at work places during this period. They were dispersed and worker demands were settled amicably, the report said, except for six cases currently being handled by the ministry.
The report also states that 1,746 out of 2,687 individual complaints (roughly 65 percent), and 3,526 out of 4150 collective complaints (roughly 85 percent), have been amicably settled. Necessary legal action was taken on the remaining complaints in order to preserve the rights of workers.
Alaa Awad, official spokesperson for the Manpower and Immigration Ministry, said the ministry is currently considering a package of labor legislation and an integrated agenda for special modifications to labor law for after the referendum, in line with the new constitution.
Awad added that after amending the Labour and Social Security Laws, the private sector will become safer and will have more justice.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
