Egyptian authorities arrest eight strikers in Textile factory

Sep 24, 2007, 13:35 GMT

Cairo - Eight Egyptian textile workers were arrested Monday, one day after thousands of protesters had gone on a strike in Mahala city in northern Gharbiya province, a security source said.

About 27,000 Egyptian textile workers working for Mahala Textile Factory began an open strike Sunday inside the facility calling for a raise in their wages and more benefits.

The workers said they should have received 150 days' worth of profit sharing and bonuses as promised by the factory administration.

Among their other requests was the resignation of the company chairman Mohsen al-Jilany.

Government sources told Egyptian al-Masry al-Youm independent newspaper that if the State responded to the worker9s demands, this would lead to strikes in other factories and companies.

Meanwhile, al-Jilany decided to pay the workers a 40-day payment. Yet the protesting workers, now cordoned with security forces, rejected his bid.

Gharbiya province is 90 kilometres north of the Egyptian capital Cairo.

In 2006, thousands of textile workers also in northern Egypt had gone on strikes in norther Egypt calling for better wages and working conditions. Strikes were over after a settlement had been reached.