A number of labor unions plan to celebrate Labor Day on Tuesday the first of May through marches and demonstrations in several governorates under the slogan of "social equality for laborers."
The Independent Federation of Trade Unions, the Egyptian Center of Economic Rights, the Hisham Mubarak Law Center and the Suez federal workers are among a number of groups organizing marches to emphasize the rights of the laborers and their demands. The Socialist Popular Alliance Party, the Egyptian Socialist Party, the Egyptian Communist Party, the Workers and Farmers Party, the Revolutionary Socialists, the Kazeboon (Liars) campaign and the Youth for Freedom and Justice movement will also arrange demonstrations.
In Cairo, a march from the headquarters of the Independent Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions on Qasr al-Aini Street to the People's Assembly and the cabinet will begin at noon.
The organizers hope that the MPs will cancel their holiday to spend the day meeting with laborers and discussing their issues.
In Alexandria, a march is scheduled to begin at noon from Manshiyya neighborhood that will end at the headquarters of the governorate.
Laborers in Suez will march from Shoaq Palace in Martyrs Square to the headquarters of the governorate.
In Daqahlia, a march to the governorate headquarters in Mansoura City will set off from Mansoura Stadium at noon.
The organizers of the marches called on governors and officials in governorates across Egypt to be present at their offices that day to receive laborers and hear their demands.
Abdul Hafeez Tayel, director of the Egyptian Center for the Right to Education, one of the organizers of the marches, said a formal request had been sent to MPs to be present at the People's Assembly to meet with marchers.
Kamal Abbas, general coordinator at the Center for Trade Union and Workers' Services said: "The center will participate in the Democratic Conference of Egyptian Workers on Labor Day by organizing a mass rally in front of Parliament at 2 pm on 1 May, under the slogan, “We want a free union” to call for the completion of the law on trade unions' freedoms.”
Abbas added that “another labor conference will be organized at El Sawy Culture Wheel on the same day in which a number of labor leaders and representatives of various unions will participate.”
Abbas denied rumors that government or military representatives will be invited to the conference.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
