The Arabic Network for Human Rights InformationFreedom of Expression for Workers and Social Movements Program

Suppressed Anger: Labor and social protests during 2017

This report

This is the first annual report issued by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), which deals with workers and social protests during 2017. It comes under political conditions during which the peaceful

protests or the group expression of a dangerous opinion or position has become nationalized, as have all aspects of the public life, together with a severe economic and social crisis.

However, around 505 labor and social protests (165 labor protests and 340 social protests) have been observed, most of which were real protests on the ground, apart from those intended-to, threatened to occur, or pre

announced protests, or even complaints and memoranda’s which we know very well were the last resolution before escalating the situation to an actual protest by sit-ins, strikes, vigils or gatherings, knowing that this figure

represents the minimum that we monitored from either the newspapers or through our lawyers in Cairo and the governorates.

This report comes in light of the media blackout and the absence of news on the labor and social movement in Egypt, which lead the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, to launch a new program that deals with and

supports the freedom of expression for workers and social movements to address the needs of the labor and social movements, to fill the lack of media coverage, and to provide legal support and assistance as a result of the siege

imposed on independent civil society institutions.The report also highlights the severity of how the authorities have dealt with the protests and protesters, through the use of force and tear gas, arresting and prosecuting leaders of protesters, and the prosecution of workers. In

many locations, workers have been discriminated against and arbitrarily dismissed as punishment for the practice of protest.

Methodology of the report:This report includes monitoring some of the labor and social protests published by the Egyptian press in particular

(Al-Watan - Al-Masry Al-Youm - Al-Ahram Portal - Veto Gate - Sada Al Balad Gate – Youm7), the cases and trials which the ANHRI has worked on, and the social media platforms for the social cases, after being verified.

It can be said that the labor and social protests included in this report (505 protests) represent some and not all the protests that took place on the ground. As mentioned above, those social and labor movements suffer from

blackout and absenteeism, which we believe to be deliberate to show an unreal situation of stability and acceptability. We have faced a challenge in gathering the information as a result of neither publishing nor covering

it, as well as because of its spatial distance from the capital, which resulted in the absence of an important component of monitoring; results, i.e. what happened after the protest? What has been achieved or what has been

promised?

In spite of this shortcoming and with the recent emergence of the program of freedom of expression of workers and social movements, we decided to publish this report, which gives a glimpse of the conditions of workers and social

movements in the mainland of Egypt, in 2017, to help those interested in the conditions of workers and social

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movements to recognize some of the silent situations, and the conditions of the labor and social movements in Egypt.

This report covers six sections:

●Section I: Protesting Sectors.

●Section II: Methods of protesting.

●Section III: Geographical Distribution of Protests.

●Section IV: Reasons for Protesting.

●Section V: Models of ways to dissolve protests by force

We have also attached some tables that show in figures, the results, and conditions of the labor and social movement during 2017 in Egypt.

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SECTION 1: PROTESTING SECTORS

More than 25 labor, professional and social sectors participated in the protests in 2017. The labor protests share was 165 protests, divided into 10 labor and vocational sectors between the educational and health services sectors

and the food, Spinning and Weaving sectors as will be elaborated.While the number of social protests of citizens due to lack of services, police attacks, lack of security, opposition to

corruption, unfair judicial rulings, or policies by the state directly affecting their lives was 340 protests, as follows:

First: The labor and Vocational Sectors:          The most vocational and labor sectors protesting were:

1 .Health workers including doctors on their civil service duty, protests over wages, and a stand in front of the Medical Syndicate because of Trump's decision to transfer the American Embassy to Jerusalem, with a total of 28

protests.2 .Workers in the food industry, and employees in the State other than those working in education, health and

police, the number of protests each of them 17 times during the year.3 .The workers in education and lawyers came in third place. The number of protests reached 14 protests each. The

lawyers' protests came for reasons, some of which were professional, and some were patriotic, such as that against the decision of US President Trump to transfer the American embassy to Jerusalem.

4 .Workers in construction and contracting, construction materials industries, and chemical industry came in fourth place, with 12 protests each.

5 .Workers in press and media, transport workers and transport drivers came in fifth place with 8 protests each.6 .Workers in Spinning and Weaving came in sixth place (including sits-in and strikes by Mahalla workers, which

lasted 14 days) with 7 protests.7 .Workers in the fields of water, sanitation and electricity came in the seventh with five protests.8 .Service workers came in eighth place with 3 protests.9 .Workers in the mineral industry, workers in oil and quarries, and mining workers came in ninth place with 2

protests each.10 .The tenth and final rank came from:

Workers in agriculture, farmers, traders, pensioners and employees of security companies and guards with one number of protest each.

In addition to this, 2 protests are unclear to the sector to which they belong.

Second: The Social Sectors:

1 .In the first place among social sectors, came the protests in the field of education, whether done by students or parents for reasons related to the educational process, or protests by university students and professors regarding

national issues such as the Trump decision. The number of protests in the sector of education reached 95 protests, and was ranked first.

2 .The housing problem came second in terms of the number of protests, with a total of 36 protests.3 .The crisis between society and the police came third, both because of (police attacks on citizens, the deaths of

suspects under detention as a result of torture in the places of detention), and because of (the police not doing their job) such as the kidnapping of young men, women and children, or the disappearance and death of some. They

were 19 protests for each.4 .The water crisis came at the fourth rank, whether its pollution or interruption, and whether it was drinking water

or water for irrigation, and the number of protests was 17.5 .Protests due to lack of treatment and medicine and the disappearance of children's milk, and the number of

protests 16 protest.6 .Sectarian protests, road accidents due to the lack of bridges or gliders, as well as the bread crisis came in sixth

place, with the number of protests for each of them 9 times.7 .The protests of traders and importers came in seventh place with a number of protests amounted to 8 protests.8 .The protests of traders and importers came in eighth place with 8 protests

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9 .The fishermen protests came in ninth place with 7 protests.10 .Bakers' protests came in the tenth place with 4 protests.11 .In the eleventh place, came the protests of the holders of masters and PHDs with a number of 2 protests.12 .In the last place came the protest because of the permanent interruption of electricity with one protest, and

similarly came the protest of the butchers with one protest.

The number of protests not categorized by sectors, such as the protest of the people of Port Said on the death sentences at the massacre of Port Said Stadium, the protest against the sale of land allocated for public services,

and the protest of the political forces and citizens because of national issues. Such protests amounted for 88 protests.

To sum up:Despite the decline in the public domain as a result of the repression and the arrest of many of those who carried

out this protests, whether in the social sectors or in factories or companies or government bodies for workers, it is clear that this repression was not the best solution to deal with the problems and crises that caused these protests in

the first place.

As the protests and oppositions were diverse and different, the reasons varied from problems and demands of the workers in workers in the health, food and education sectors, and the protests of employees due to work conditions primarily, whether for regular or irregular workers, or for professionals or craftsmen. Also because of the problems

of education and housing, and then the crisis between society and the police both of the lack of professionalism that leads to lack of security or the continuing attacks on its employees on the citizens in the first place.

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SECTION II: METHODS OF PROTESTING

Despite the fact that striking is the most powerful means for the workers, it was not the most used method. The protesting and gathering came first, followed by sit-ins and strikes; same was for the social movements of the non-

working groups, where protesting came first, followed by cutting off the roads, as follows:

First: Methods of Labor Protests:

1 .The protests and gatherings came in the first place of protests through which workers have expressed their opposition. The number of protests reached 74, including 7 gatherings, which accounted for 44.8% of the workers

protests.)The health workers had many protests to claim their financial rights, as well as protesting the mistreatment of the

director of the hospital in Tukh, another one in the Naga Hammadi in protest against the transfer of the hospital director, and a protest by workers of Ahmad Hassanein Haikel Company demanding getting their salaries(.

As for the gatherings, we found that all the employees in the Al-Khattara project in Sharqia, and the temporary employees of Orascom in Aswan who working in the construction of the Kima factory have begun to gather at

first, then developed their methods to sitting-in and other methods later, as the problem continued.

2 .at the second rank came the sit-in, which was repeated by paid employees for 42 times. It was a method of protesting by the workers which was conducted by Mahalla and EFCO workers during their strikes. It was also

practiced by the workers of the gas field in Port Said and the workers in the museums sector .The union members of the El-Nasr Castings workers in Warraq have begun their protest by holding a sit-in and

then turned into a striking in order to press for the implementation of their demands.

3 .Striking came in third place, and this comes in context with the attack on all workers who resort to striking from work or even call for it in the past years, to the extent of being arrested for months, and the issuance of rulings

because of such practice, as we will see in the results, in addition to termination from work.The workers have staged strikes, 41 times, of the total number of workers' protests.

Perhaps the most famous strike of all is the strike and sit-in by the Spinning and Weaving workers in Mahalla, EFKO workers in Suez, and the strike of workers at Snmar Company in Port Said. The health and education sectors also have had an important share of the strike, even partial strikes if their demands were not met. In

November, employees at Kafr Shukr Hospital, Minya Health Insurance, the Curative Organization in Qalyoub, and teachers at 6 schools in New Cairo held strikes.

4 .The hunger striking came in fourth place, where it was repeated 6 times. One or more workers may resort to hunger strike because of discrimination against them at their work, and thus attempt to add pressure by putting

their lives at risk, as it has been done by a teacher at Tahta Hospital, or the worker Naji Rashad who used to work at the South Cairo and Giza Mills Company, and who stayed on hunger strike for nearly 29 days, and the worker

who filed the minimum wage suit because of discrimination against at work and transferring him to a place far from his home so that he could not reach the work place on time, and hence recorded as a no-show, something that if repeated 10 times during the year is grounds for termination based on absence without permission or acceptable

excuse. The abuse has not stopped at this point, but we learned at the time of preparation of this report for publication in early January 2018 with a new decision to suspend him until the court rules for his termination.

5 .As for the fifth place, 2 of the other ways were there, such as a staff member in Qalyubiya threatening to throw himself from the building Directorate, or the call for a protest, or a method of protesting that was not explained on

the news method as stated in the news about employees of the Central Auditing Organization in one of the provinces.

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Second: Methods of Social Sector Protests:

1.The most common methods used by the social sector were protesting and gatherings, which have reached 318 times during the year, 93.5% of the total number of social sector protests, of which 173 were protests,

including many for national reasons such as the Trump Declaration of the transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, or because of the case of Tiran and Sanafir.

There were also many protests by parents of students because of the absence of a school in the village, or problems of transportation between schools or school fees, or non-payment of teachers' salaries.

There were also many protests by professionals like lawyers, doctors or pharmacists, or by butchers against transferring the slaughterhouse, or fishermen against preventing them from fishing.

One other reason is the police attacks, such as the protest by the people of Qena because of the assault of an officer on a woman. There were also protests for other reasons such as the protest by the people of Mansoura because of

the sale of the land of Delta University, or the protest in Isna because of the disappearance of a woman, or a protest by property owners to demand a change in the law of rent, even chalets owners in Marina protested against the

poor service there .2017 has witnessed a total of 129 social gatherings. The women of Izbat al-Nuwam Saad in Beheira gathered to

demand a school in their village after the death of 7 students, parents gathered in front of their children's school because of harassment, the owners of cold storage cars gathered because of the high prices of poultry, students of

the university dorm for females gathered against the poor services, the people of Kafr-Shokr gathered and blocked the road because of an accident that had lead to death, people of Draw gathered against water contamination, renal

failure patients in Assyuit gathered because of the failure of the devices, people of Manshiet Nasser gathered and besieged the police station because of the death of a detainee, and also the parents of the detained Zamalek fans.

There were a demonstration by political entities in protest against the sale of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir and a march of the people of the island of Dahab in solidarity with the people of the island of Warraq.

2.Protesters also have used the method of blocking the roads among the methods of protesting, which amounted to 16 times, like what has happened on the road of Kafr Shukr Benha, the people of Warraq, the people

of Alexandria in many locations to protest against the bread crisis, and the people Kaft because of the death of a detainee in the police department, and the blocking of the Kima - High Dam road due to water outages.

3.A new and different way, where the detainees in the Muharram Bek police station in Alexandria have used burning blankets as a method to protest.

To Sum Up:A quick look at the methods used by workers and the methods used by those at social sectors, reveals that the

workers are more inclined to the organized and previously set methods, such as sit-ins, strikes and, although they haven’t exclusively used them as sometimes they have resorted to some other methods such as gathering because

of an urgent matter related to their work or wages, or a reduction of leave, as what has happened with Non-Commissioned Officers in South Sinai.

Individual acts such as hunger strikes have also been used when there were no other options.This is mainly because they are a clear social group – they share a common job in a common working environment

and similar work places – though they have not reached the concept of a class yet, for many reasons including the deprivation of the right of organization for more than fifty years, under the monopoly of their representation in a

single union which is loyal to the regime and employers for years.Meanwhile in the social sectors protests, the tendency is greater for gatherings and protests, because they are

groups who share a relationship based on an immediate problem. Even in the villages where the villagers gather, people may resort to protest only in the event of an escalation of an urgent matter forcing them to leave.

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SECTION III: GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE PROTESTS

Cairo had the biggest share in terms of both labor and social protests. The number of labor protests in Cairo has reached 45 labor and professional protests, 27.3% of the total number of labor and professional protests which

amounted to 165 protests in 2017.Labor and social protests included all the governorates of Egypt, with the exception of the Red Sea and Marsa

Matruh, as follows:

First: Geographical Distribution of the Labor Protests:

1.Cairo ranked first in terms of number of labor protests, which amounted to 45 protests by 27.3%.2.In the second place were the governorates of Al Gharbia, Aswan and Qalioubiya with 11 protests, with a

rate of approximately 6.7% each, including the strike of Mahalla Spinning and Weaving workers, the strike of the dyeing workers in solidarity with Mahalla workers, the workers of the Rice Mill Company in Gharbia, nurses at

Tanta Medical school, and the bakery owners in Gharbia.As for Qalyoubia, they were from the nurses of Benha General Hospital, the workers of Almarai dairy company in

Qalub, administrative security workers at Benha University, and ambulance workers in Qalyoubia.Aswan included the workers of the school nutrition factory in Aswan, the workers of Orascom Aswan, health

insurance workers in Aswan, and others.3.The third place was from Sharqia and Kafr El-Sheikh, with 10 protests each, by 6.1% of the total protests,

including the protest by the Zakazik railway, Spinning and Weaving workers in Salhia, and workers of Omega Ceramics Company.

In Kafr El-Shaikh, the protests were by nurses of Bella hospital, workers of the Delta Sugar Company, and administrators of health insurance.

4.The fourth place was for Alexandria with 9 protests which is about 5.5% of the total protests, such as the protest by the workers of the SEKLAM diary company in Alexandria, and petrochemical workers in the port of

Dekheila.5.In the fifth place came both of Giza and Monufia, with 7 protests each, about 4.2% of the total protests,

such as health insurance workers, and the castings workers in Warraq.In Monufia, the protests were held by the employees of the Egyptian Company for Spinning and Weaving in Sadat

city, and workers of the Rogina factory in Sadat City.6.Minya gets the sixth rank with 6 protests, about 3.6% of the total protests, such as the gathering of

workers in the mining project in Minya, and the gathering of teachers in front of Minya governorate building.7.Dakahlia and Suez came seventh, with 5 protests each, at about 3%, such as the protests of workers at

Queen Service in Ain Sukhna.Similarly, the same rank was reached by workers in more than one governorate (other), such as health insurance

workers all over the country, and employees of Telecom Egypt Company in front of the buildings of the communication centrals in several governarates.

8.In the eighth place come, Port Said, New Valley and Beni Suef, with three protests each, at about 1.8%, such as the temporary workers in the Egyptian contracting company in Sohag, the workers strike at SANMAR

Petrochemical Company in Port Said, teachers in Dakhla in the New Valley, and the workers of North Gaz factory in Beni Suef.

9.In the ninth place, came Assiut, Qena and Luxor with two protests for each of them, at about 1.2% of the total protests, such as the water collectors in Assiut, the workers at Naga Hammadi Hospital, and employees in

health insurance in Luxor.10.In the tenth place came Damietta, Beheira, South Sinai and Fayoum, with one protest each and a

percentage of almost 0.61%, which were the sit-in of Damietta Specialist Hospital nurses, the employees of Beheira insurance, the NCO’s in South Sinai, and the Fayoum General Hospital employees strike.

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Second: Geographical Distribution of the Social Sector Protests:

1.The first rank is for Cairo with 90 protests at almost 26.5% of the total number of protests that were 340.2.In second, came Dakahlia with 28 protests at 8.2 of the total, such as the gathering of Coptics in front of

Belkas police station after the disappearance of a woman, and the gathering of people from 15 provinces under the jurisdiction of Jamalia because of the drinking water,

3.Alexandria came third, with 27 protests at 7.9% of the protests, such as the several protests at many places against the bread crisis, and the students parent standing and gathering in front of Ikbal National school

against the increase in the school fees.4.Giza came fourth with 22 protests at about 6.5% of the total, such Warraq people protest, and Nahia

people protesting against child trafficking gangs.5.Munufiya came fifth with 20 social sector protests at about 5.9%, such as the protests by the drivers from

the village of Shenwan, and students of Munufia military school.6.Gharbia came sixth with 19 social sector protests at about 4.7%, such as the gathering and standing of

dozens of patients who use Insulin injections in front of Mahalla General Hospital, and the standing and gathering of people from a village in Kafr-El Zayat in front of the hospital waiting for the autopsy of the body of one of them

who they were sure was tortured and killed in the police station.7.Both Sharkia and Kafr El-Shaikh came seventh with 14 protests each at about 4.1%, such as the students

of the high institute of engeneering and technology in Belbis, the gathering of the people of Sharkia against the transfer of their medical unit, the dozens of those who booking confirmations for social housing in Kafr El-Shaikh,

and the fishermen in Kafr ElShaikh.8.Damaita came eighth with 13 protests at about 3.8%, such as the gathering of the people after the death of

a detainee inside the police station, and the gathering of the people from the village of Saiala in front of the water company because of water cuts

9.Qalubia came ninth with 12 protests at about 3.5%, such as the gathering of people of Tukh and the people of the Manshia because of road accidents that lead to the death of people from both.

10.Aswan came tenth with 11 protests at 3.2% of the total, such as the gathering and standing of Nubia people “Drums”, and the Camel traders in Aswan.

11.Port Said witnessed 10 protests at about 2.9% such as those applicants for low income housing, and the parents of those who were sentenced in the Port Said massacre case.

12.Qena witnessed 9 protests at about 2.6% such as the gathering of people of East Ashraf because of the disappearance of a woman and both her children.

13.People of Minia and Luxor have practiced 7 protests each, at about 2.1%, such as the gathering of people of Minia to protests against the local unit director calling them beggars.

14.Assuit have had 6 protests at about 1.8%, such as the students protesting to get their teacher back.15.Suez have witnessed 5 social sector protests at 1.5% of the total, such as the people of Suez Railway

housing, and the Bread protests that have gone through several governorates.16.Then came Sohag, Beni Suef, Beheira, and New Valley, with 4 protests each, at about 1.2%, such as the

gathering of the people after the death of a female students under the train wheels, the gathering of the students of Nahda private university in Beni Suef because of the increase in fees, the lawyers protest against the Trump

decision, and the people of New Valley against the campaign to abolish violations.

To Sum Up:Cairo alone accounted for more than a quarter of the labor and social protests, with 135 protests representing

26.7%. The three governorates of Greater Cairo also took 187 protests, 37% of all protests.That’s because the central distribution of all the ministries, agencies and bodies, and perhaps there is another

reason that needs to be studied. Is it the culture that supports protesting in this region? Is the security grip on the rest of the country firmer more severe and?

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Some governorates came in advanced positions in terms of the number of labor protests like Gharbia, Aswan, Qaliubiya, Alexandria, Giza and Menia, followed by Fayoum, Suez, Port Said, Sohag, New Valley and Beni Suef,

perhaps due to the presence of industrial zones on each side .However, the low ranks of Port Said and Suez governorates raise the question of is it because of lack of labor or

demands of what? Same goes for the absence of labor protests in Ismailia which is a labor governorate. Same reason for asking another question; how come Aswan came second in labor protests with its location?

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SECTION IV: REASONS FOR PROTESTING

We subdivided this section into three categories; workers, professionals, and other social groups, to explain the reasons why each class practiced different protest methods.

First: The Reasons of Labor Protests:

1.Demands regarding wages, the cost of living allowance and non-payment of wages : Workers in many factories and companies have sought to raise their wages, especially after successive price

increases and high inflation rates of more than 30% (according to government reports, which do not accurately reflect the real price increases). For example, the independent EFKO workers union in Suez has addressed the

owners of the company outside Egypt in the pursuit of the extraction of sufficient amounts to approve a reasonable cost of living bonus, but the managers distributed it in a way that led to the takeover of the heads of sectors on most of it, leaving the workers with only the crumbs, although they sought for it, and in spite of their originally

weak wages, which lead the workers to strike and sit-in in the company to demand a fair distribution of the bonus.The demand of bonus has also lead workers in Covertina chocolate factory to protest, just as workers in Regina

company in the Sadat industrial zone, the railway janitors in Alexandria, the workers of the Alexandria Water Company who demanded the bonus to be effective, and the workers of the Damanhour Rug factory in Behaira that

is under the ministry of Awqaf who demanded the distribution of the 7% periodic bonus .When workers strike for some reason, they raise their deferred demands from before. Like the workers of the sugar factory in Hawamdia whose strike was to demand the addition of 20% cost of living bonus to the basic salary, plus

adding the special bonus, increasing the periodic bonus from 7 to 10% LE per month, and increasing the meal allowance to 600 L.E. a month.

The Spinning and Weaving workers in Shebin held a strike because of the non-payment of the annual bonuses and the 20% prices increase bonus, as well as the non-payment of their arrears.

On the other hand, the Spinning and Weaving workers withheld from working in strike and from getting paid, in protest of the non-payment of the annual and prices increase bonuses, and they have demanded 220 pounds as

monthly incentives for all workers retroactively, and putting the court ruling of the incentives in action, together with increasing the lunch allowance for one day from 3 to 10 LE. to cope the prices increase, to pay the unpaid

incentives for 6 months and a half, and activate the committees of settlement and promotions.The workers of Al-Nasr for dyeing and processing have also participated in strike in solidarity with the workers of

the Egyptian company in Mahalla.The employees of both branches of "Sigma" company for pharmaceutical industries, in the cities of Quesna, and 6 th

of October, because of the delay of the payment of their salaries, and because of refusing the 15% bonus decided by the board and demanding a bonus equal to that decided in other factories.

Workers of a food industry company held in Obour area, held a sit-in in objection to withholding their profit share, the non-payment of the periodic allowance, and withholding the 25% transport increase allowance.

Workers strike at the Alaska Electric Appliances Company in the tenth of Ramadan in Sharqia to demand the payment of 10% bonus and increasing lunch allowance, in light of the high cost of living.

The employees of the Egyptian Company for Spinning and Weaving in the industrial zone in Sadat City have held a strike to demand an increase in salaries and the annual profit shares, an increase in meal allowance and the social

allowance approved by the state.Workers in “Farag Allah” Group for Food Industries have held a strike too to object withholding the profit shares.

Hundreds of nurses at Benha University Hospital have entered a strike to demand the payment of the exams bonus, and reimbursement of night shifts, as well as to demand a comprehensive treatment system for them in the hospital,

just like those working in other hospitals.Also, the employees in Fayoum General Hospital have held a strike to protest against the poor wages and to

demand the financial rights.

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A number of employees of the International Company for Food Industries in Sadat City organized a strike to demand higher wages. Dream Park workers also have had a strike against their poor salaries demanding an

increase.Employees of the General Assembly for the Care of the Elderly in Damanhour entered an open strike at the Welfare House in Al-Aabadiyya, protesting the lack of equality in wages among them and those working in

orphanages.

And from the demand to raise wages to the demand to actually pay the wages, employees in ElHayat Television Network have been striking in protest against the non-payment of their financial rights, which have been withheld

for eight months.

A number of employees of Dina Farms Company, employees of one of the car companies, workers of the contractor of the National Cement Company and the employees of the Arab Company have also protested for their

unpaid salaries.

Workers of the Spinning and Weaving factory in the city of New Salhia have held a strike to claim their financial rights, because they did not receive their salaries, since the management of the factory linked between getting paid

and signing on a form of approval to leave the factory while waiving all their rights stated in the Labor Code.

2.Due to termination of work : The service workers at the American University in Cairo (AUC) have held a sit-in because the administration

terminated their work at the university and replaced them with the a subcontractor company supplying their workers.

3.Prompt for installation : The workers hired on contract basis, in Tanta for Linens, have held a strike to demand hiring them and increasing

the wages for 300 workers. Also, the workers in E-STYRENICS Production Company of the Ministry of Petroleum, located in Dekhaila, Alexandria, have held a strike to demand either fixed employment contracts or

hiring them to reassure their future.The temporary workers in cement factory in Aswan have held a strike to demand their hiring contracts in the

factory in order to obtain all their rights in addition to complying with all the instructions of industrial security.

4.Claim for health insurance : The strike held by the workers Sokhna port due to the arrest of labor leaders as well as lack of access to their right

to health insurance.

5.Reduced Vacations : A strike has been held by hundreds of South Sinai NCO’s in protest against the reduction of the monthly leave, and

the workers of the “Dhahr” Mill in Port Said because of reducing the Eid holiday to one day the administration.

6.Objection to the transfer : Workers have also had a strike in several locations because of the transfers, such as the strike of 4 workers of the

food hygiene project at the Central Hospital of Samsta to demand their return to work within the Unit, and the workers of Shibin al-Qanater railway who have had a strike against the poor condition of the trains.

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Second: The Reasons for Professional Syndicates:

1.Pharmacists : The Pharmacists Syndicate and the council for sub-syndicates decided on a total strike in February to protest the

sale of the drugs at two prices.

2.Lawyers : The decision of the General Union of Lawyers to amend the conditions of registration caused a number of protests

among lawyers, as well as the added-value tax, and the matters escalated till the demand of the departure of the head of the lawyers Syndicate Sameh Ashour.

Dozens of lawyers from Ismailia also entered a strike at the Ismailia Criminal Court to protest against the refusal of the head of the First Circuit Court to respond to their legal demands.

Dozens of lawyers from the Beni Mazar Center in the north of Minya organized a silent protest, which lasted for one hour before the court, in protest against the imprisonment of their colleagues from the Matai Center in the case

of insulting the judiciary, followed by protests in several governarates.The Tiran and Sanafir case, and the Trump decision, have had a share of lawyers protests in more than one place.

3.Physicians:The doctors’ protests were because of the civil service, a protest of Abbassia psychiatrists for the restoration of the

hospital land, and for Tiran and Sanafir.

4.Journalists:There were protests against the dismissal of journalists from party newspapers, as well as in the case of the

imprisonment of the head and members of the syndicate. There were also protests over the sale of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, as well as the Trump decision and the subsequent arrest of a number of journalists.

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Third: Reasons for Social Sector Protests:

1.Social Sector Protests in Education :

Social protests in the field of education topped this report with 95 protests by 27.9% .There were protests by students with demands that directly affect them, such as the hunger strike of the students of the city of Mergham, Alexandria, for not responding to their demands of constructing a pedestrian bridge for them

to reach the city.Students of the university dorm for female students have also protested the neglect of the periodic maintenance of

electrical appliances, which led to a fire, due to a short circuit in the bathroom heater for.Students of Nahda University in Beni Suef protested against the increase in fees.

A number of students from Cairo University organized a protest in front of the university's main gate to demand the trial of Dr. Yassin Lashin, a professor in the Public Relations Department of the Faculty of Mass

Communication, on charges of extorting and harassing female students.There were also many gatherings in Egyptian universities in protest against the Trump's decision.

Dozens of high school students held a protest in front of the Ministry of Education for the fourth time in a week to demand taking the second round exams next August and not to repeat the whole year in the next academic year.

The students of Bahesat Al-Badia School in Asyut organized a protest to demand their return to their original school .

The students of the Al-Masa'id Primary School of Al-Arish Educational Administration organized a protest in the school yard to protest the transfer of a number of teachers from their school to fill the deficit in other schools,

despite the need for them at their school.The Experimental Primary Language School has witnessed the sit-in of both students and teachers in the school

yard, in protest against the return of the son of a police officer who had attended the school and quarreled with the students.

The parents' protest over education problems has had a large share of the reasons for protesting, such as the lack of schools. Dozens of residents of Izbet al-Nawam Saad organized a demonstration in Damanhur in Behaira governorate after seven students were killed in an accident while commuting to a nearby village, and they

demanded the establishment of a school dedicated to them.

The people of "Tel Naruz" and "Hamraia" have held a protest in standing to demand the construction of a school, and there was a night stand for the parents of a school in Port Said to demand the provision of classes.

There were also protests due to the lack of adequate furniture, or to demand open the door for transfer between grades and schools, such as the parents of kindergarten children in front of Giza governorate, or because of

harassment of their children in schools, such as the parents who accused the owner of a school in Heliopolis of raping three students, and the gathering of people in a village in Daqahalia in front of a school to protest the

harassment of a teacher’s husband of two children.

The reasons included increased school fees, such as the protest of the school's parents at "Bse" school in Sheikh Zayed to demand compliance with their contracts.

Also, parents have protested after accidents hurting their children, such as the parents of students who were infected with the poisoning of school biscuits at Abu Hammad Hospital in Sharqia. Other reason for protesting was

because their children had not been accepted at schools, just as the parents of rejected students who have gathered at the Japanese school in front of the Monufia governorate office.

2.Housing Protests : The housing problem in 2017 caused a total of 36 protests at about 10.6% of the total protests .

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The applicants for cooperative housing protested in Port Said and tens of those affected by the economic housing project in Kafr El-Sheikh demanded that they be handed over to their housing units.

In addition, dozens of social housing beneficiaries in Port Said organized a protest in front of the Housing Bank to protest against the increase in the first installment. A number of winners of housing units on rent terms, in the

Awqaf project in Aswan also organized a gathering in standing in front of the governorate building to demand the speedy delivery of all apartments to the beneficiaries.

A number of citizens in Sharqia organized a protest in front of the governorate office building, protesting the lack of access to the housing units allocated to them in the 2008 draw, as well as the beneficiaries of the “Newly Wed”

system housing in Suez, in front of the governorate building.Even the owners in Marakia have organized several protests because of the poor services, and the owners of the old

properties have protested demanding the amendment of the law governing the relationship between landlord and tenant.

The residents of the Kafr El-Sheikh Railway City gathered on the rails to protest their eviction, the people of Agga staged a protest against the implementation of the decisions to remove the encroachment on the Nile, and the

people gathered to prevent the implementation to remove the buildings of "Build Your Own House" in the tenth of Ramadan City.

The people of Damietta have faced to abolishing their houses, as well as citizens in the New Valley who have taken over the ground in front of the Lorries.

Residents of the leaning building in Alexandria also gathered to reject the demolition decision.The people of Warraq protested against their displacement.

3.Protesting against the kidnapping and Disappearance of People :

The protests because of wither Kidnapping or disappearance of people have taken place 19 times each, at about 5.6%, where train traffic have stopped in Giza following the gathering of a number of residents of the village of

Marazeeq in the center of Badrashin; to protest the disappearance of a housewife.

The residents of the village of Safour protested in Sharqia after the disappearance of two students in mysterious circumstances .

Dozens of people from Nabruh city in Dakahlia have gathered after 3 high school students disappeared. The residents of East Ashraaf village gathered in front of the Egypt-Aswan road to protest the disappearance of a

woman and her two children.

4.Protests against lack of Drinking and Irrigation Water :

The number of protests against lack and contamination of drinking and irrigation water, amounted for 17 protests by about 5%, where the people of 15 villages demonstrated in Daqahalia because of the lack of water, and dozens of Daqahalia people gathered in front of the "Hajayza" station to protest the lack of water, as well as the people of

Shimi who gathered in the “Badrashin” council building against water cuts .

Local residents of Aswan village gathered against water contamination.

5.Protests for the Right to Health and Treatment :

The number of protests for health and treatment amounted for 16 protests by about 4.7%, where residents of the village of New-Hawamdia in Mahalla protested because of the closure of the health unit for the absence of

workers, and they also protested against an AIDS patient having his renal dialysis for fear of infection.People and Doctors have protested because of the shift of Hermel Hospital in Dar El-Salaam to a tumor hospital

only.Patients who are on long-acting penicillin injections also gathered in front of Al Mahalla General Hospital

Pharmacy .

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And the parents of a child have gathered in front of Al-Minshawi General Hospital in Tanta, accusing doctors of negligence during the operating on their son causing his death.

6.Protests against putting Lives in Danger :

The protests due to the deaths of citizens were frequent, whether due to poor services on the roads or railway tracks, or because of the drowning of others, such as the gathering of the people of AbuSuir to extract two young

people drowning in the Ismailia canal, or due to the killings such as the gathering of victims of the Faw Qibly massacre in Qena, or because of the poor services that lead to loosing lives, such as the parents of a child in Tanta

who gathered to protest his death during an operation.

There was also a protest to condemn the death of a child by an electric shock in Hadayek al-Qubba.

The cases of intentional murder by torture or preventing medical care for political prisoners have had their share in the protests .

The families of a political prisoner gathered for his death in front of the Kom El-Dekka morgue, the residents gathered in front of the Edfu police station as a result of the death of a detained person inside, as well as the people of a detainee who died at the police station of Kafr al-Batikh in Damietta who gathered in front of the Edfu police

station accusing it of killing him, also in Kafr Saad, Shibin al-Qanater and Montazah police stations.The parents of a detained person gathered in front of Haram hospital after being shot by an officer.

The people of the village of Sflaq in Saqlta in Sohag, have blocked the road leading to the village to protest the killing of a citizen in a confrontation between outlaws and security forces in Sohag.

The number of protests was 9, accounting for about 2.7% of the total social protests.

7.Sectarian Protests :

Sectarian protests were 9 at about 2.6% of the total .Dozens of Copts gathered in front of Belqas police station to protest against the disappearance of a lady .

Muslim and Copts gathered in the village of Deir, in front of the village police station, to protest the disappearance of a Coptic girl in mysterious circumstances in the village .

The Nagaa al-Muhaydat district of Adaasat, of Al-Tud, south of Luxor, witnessed explosive events following the departure of the people to gather in front of the house of a Coptic citizen, to ask to check for the presence of a

Christian girl there, after her disappearance and rumors of her conversion to Islam.

A protest took place in the Shubra district in protest of the terrorist attacks and solidarity with the Copts following the bombing of the churches in Tanta and St. Mark in Alexandria.

A number of Copts of the village of Kom El Loufi in the center of Samalut in Minia have started an open sit-in inside the headquarters of the Cathedral of St. Mark until the government's response to their right to pray inside

their village.

The Minia security forces cordoned off the village of Qusheiry, a branch of the Abuqarkas district in the south of the governorate, to prevent the occurrence of sectarian incidents after a group of Muslim villagers gathered

because one Coptic person performed prayers in his house.

8.Bread Crisis Protests :

The number of protests due to the bread crisis was 9, with about 2.6%, like its predecessors

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9.Protests for National Causes :

A number of citizens, many professionals and political forces protested against the Tiran and Sanafir Agreement .Many gatherings and protests have also been organized against the Trump decision to transfer the American

Embassy to Jerusalem, in most Egyptian universities and professional syndicates.

10.Other Reasons :

The number of unclassified protests reached 88 protests at 25.9% .The owners of auto rickshaws gathered in Baggour to protest their legalization .

The camel traders in Aswan gathered after blocking the Abu Simbel road due to delay in checking the camels.The fishermen gathered in their boats in Damietta to protest against invalidating their licenses.

The traders of the village of "Abu Bakir" gathered to protest against the imposition of fees from the Chamber of Commerce

The butchers have gathered to protest against the decision to transfer the slaughterhouse.There were also demonstrations in Monufia because of the court's refusal to hear the testimony of the Minister of

the Interior.And a demonstration has taken place because of the closure of accounts with (Uber) .

A gathering in protest has taken place due to the repeated fires in the village of Monufia.People of Ayat have also gathered after them being targeted in trains and being robbed.

The people of Bilbis have protested after fines were imposed on them by the ministry of Supply.Young graduates gathered to protest the results of the 300 teachers’ competition in the New Valley.

And the residents of the Dayi village in Kafr El-Sheikh have gathered because they were not included in the Solidarity and Dignity program.

To Sum Up:The causes of labor and professional protests on one hand are social on the other have varied to include education,

housing, security and for the disappearance and kidnapping of people .The protests also took place because of the lack of living conditions of workers and social movements such as lack

of drinking and irrigation water, lack of treatment and health services, and the golden cards that used to allow bakeries to sell bread to citizens who did not have a ration card.

Protests have also escalated over national issues, such as the Tiran and Sanafir Agreement, and the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem.

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SECTION V: MODELS OF WAYS TO DISSOLVE PROTESTS

First: Labor Protests:

1.The arrest of leaders of property taxes and electricity after asking to authorize the establishment of a protest :

The failure to meet the promises made by tax leaders to study a unified system of incentives, lead the workers to request approval for the organization of a protest on September 19th to express their demands, but everyone was

surprised by the arrest of a number of workers from their homes. Same thing happened with Maritime Transporters, Public Transport Authority, and EFKO workers ... etc

The names of those arrested include:

●Tarek Ibrahim Fathi Ahmed Hammam, AKA Tariq Kashef (General Taxes)

●Mohamed Basiony Hassan Badr (General Taxes)

●Saeed Ali Jamea (Real Estate Taxes)

●Ayman Fathi Al-Sabbagh (Real Estate Taxes)

●Mahmoud Mohamed Zidan (Real Estate Taxes)

●Mohamed El Hendawy Saeed (Electricity Company)

●Abdo Al Ghonaimi Qaddous (Electricity Company)

The Tanta court issued a decision to release them on Monday October 2nd, 2017 and then the prosecution appealed the decision, and set a hearing the next day Tuesday, October 3rd 2017 to consider the appeal of the prosecution.

They were then released in batches, two of whom were released with precautionary measures.

2.15 Sinmar workers arrested in Port Said : Security forces arrested 15 of the protestors at dawn on November 15th, inside the Sinmar factory in Port Said,

claiming that they closed the refrigeration unit and exposed the factory to an environmental disaster or an explosion when the temperature rose.

This coincided with the workers' continued strike for the second week and the sit-in inside the factory after the factory’s management dismissed 24 workers who demanded environmental safety measures for the surrounding

residential area and for the factory workers.

The management of the factory rejected any negotiations and intervened to the Directorate of Manpower as the members of the union were separated.

3.The arrest of sit-ins Non Commissioned Police Officers (NCO) in South Sinai, and the arrest of 50 of them :

50 NCO’s were arrested among those who were in the sit-in on charges of gathering, inciting, vandalizing public money and exposing the nation to terrorism, after their sit-in on the evening of January 11th, following the

intervention of the central security forces and the firing of tear gas at the demonstrators.

South Sinai has witnessed a state of security alert after a strike by a number of NCO’s to protest the reduction in the number of days of leave from 15 days to 10 days.

The NCO’s returned to work “forced” to accept the new Interior Ministry's decision to work for 20 days at 12 hours a day and get 10 days of leave throughout the month.

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It’s worth noting that they used to work before this decision for half a month only and get the other half of the month as a paid leave, a system that was practiced in border and far away districts.

4.Security of Suez to end the sit-in IFCO and arrested 11 workers including :

On Monday, January 2nd, 2017, the Suez security forces intervened to dismantle the workers of EFCO Oil Company in the industrial zone northwest of the Gulf of Suez. Nine workers were arrested by the security forces,

and two others had already been arrested.

The company's workers have entered a strike to demand a higher prices increase bonus, and after the company's approval, it was unfairly distributed among workers and department managers.

5.The sit-in of Tora Cement Company security personnel demanded the prosecution and prosecution :

On Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017, the security personnel of Tora Cement Company continued their sit-in at the company's headquarters in Helwan Corniche to demand their appointment.

The protesters confirmed that they had been protesting for 30 days, because 75 employees were arbitrarily dismissed by the company after the death of one of their colleagues .

The administration decided to assign a private security company to take over the security.The protest was adjourned by the lawyers of the network and the sentence was eased from five years to three

months' imprisonment, which was the period of time spent by the workers in preventive detention, after which they were.

6.Security forces broke the sit-in of cement workers Aswan :

Security forces dismantled a sit-in of the cement factory workers in Aswan on Thursday, July 27th. The workers had declared their sit-in to protest the death of workers at the factory after incineration of incendiary materials .

The workers accused the administration of not providing the human environment and the environment appropriate for them during work.

Security forces dismantled the workers' sit-in, which had entered its fourth day, and police arrested more than 10 of the protesters and were charged with instigating the suspension of the factory during the days of the sit-in.

7.Labor issues (in which workers have been accused of peaceful protests) and are still pending :

A.The case of the workers of the naval arsenal in Alexandria (26workers). Charge: Incitement to strike and abstention (military court).

B.Tura Cement workers case (32 workers). Charge: assault on security forces.C.The issue of public transport workers ( 6 workers, 2 of whom are still under precautionary measures).D.Real estate tax workers (7 employees).E.EFCO Suez Oils.F.Mahalla al-Kubra workers after the 14-day sit-in and strike in August. Charge: incitement to strike.

Thirty days after the suspension of the strike of thousands of workers in the Mahalla spinning and weaving company, through the signing of financial discounts on their wages before the holiday of Eid Al-Adha, the crisis

reached a new chapter, after the management of the company had prepared a counter report against 6 workers accusing them of incitement to strike and violating the protest law.

The case is still being heard by the court to date .The six workers are Amr Raafat Metwally Salameh, Amir Gamal Abdel Moneim Hassan, Mohamed El Sayed

Ibrahim Mesbah, Walaa Mohamed Abdel Raouf Awad, Nagwa Massaad Mostafa and Karim Hossam Ismail.

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It is worth mentioning that the strike of the workers of the Mahalla spinning and weaving company started on August 6th, 2017, with the demands of the bonus approved by the parliament to those who are not under the civil

service law, increasing the lunch allowance to cope with the current prices, and being paid the 12-months value of the profit shares announced by the Minister of Business.

After the administration's promises to parliamentarians, the workers ended their strike after 14 days and returned to work in anticipation of the implementation of the promises of administration in response to their demands.

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Second: Social Sector Protests:

1.Security disperses bread protests in Alexandria :

Egyptian security forces in Alexandria, on Tuesday March 7th, dissolved a sit-in that was protesting to the bread crisis in the Dekhaila area and was unable to return traffic until after the protesters were persuaded to disperse .

The demonstrators stopped their sit-in, which lasted for four hours, only after the intervention of Major General Sharif Abdel Hamid, director of the Alexandria Investigation, who asked them to open the road and not to engage

in any attempts to destabilize security and stability in the country .Meanwhile, other sit-ins have been recorded in the neighborhoods of Al-Labban, Abu Qir and Sidi Bishr, without

any incidents .Alexandria has seen sporadic demonstrations in recent days amid widespread public discontent over the reduction

of the share of what became known as the "golden card" of the bakery, which led to the reluctance of owners to sell bread to the needy at reduced prices.

2.Dispersal of the demonstration and the protest of the master's and PhD holders in Cairo :

Qasr El Nil prosecution released 35 holders of Master's and PhD degrees after the security forces had arrested many of them on October 11th, 2017 from the Cabinet Street during their objection to not being appointed.

The charges were: •Participation with others in endangering public transport. •Participation with others in organizing a demonstration without a permit, blocking the road and disrupting traffic

and transportation. •Participation with others in the show of force, waving of violence, and undermining security and public peace. •Participation in a gathering of 300 individuals. (Case No. 13681 of the year 2017 misdemeanors of the Qasr El

Nil)

3.The sit-in of Al-Hayat channel workers by Body Guards :

On Wednesday, August 16th, employees of Al Hayat Network entered an open strike at Studio 11 at the Network headquarters in the Media Production City to pressure the Network management to pay their arrears over eight

months ago.Sources in the Network stated that Ibrahim Ghali, the Network’s financial manager, had entered into negotiations

with the employees offering them one month of their dues, but they refused, and then they were surprised by a group of "body guards" trying to expel them but did not succeed.

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Table 1Labor and professional protests are spread across sectors

SectorJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDecTotal

Health47422112122028Food Industry52010121300217

Employees32111110312117Education11111030203114Lawyers14610000000214

Construction10102032012012Chemical Industries20102140011012

Transportation1011003001108Traffic and Transportation0111020011018

Media& Journalism0011001101128Spinning and weaving1101100200017

Water, sewage, and electric0010040000005Services0000000110013

Metal Industries0001000001002Petroleum0000010001002

Mining and Quarries00 00001010002Not Clear0000011000002

Agriculture0010000000001Trading0000000001001

Pensioners1000000000001Security1000000000001

Total2118191191220912101311165

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Table 2Social protests spread across sectors

SectorJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotalEducation245436651912131695

Housing22225135353336Against Security

Violation03002244020219Against kidnapping and murder03731201010119

Water21111332111017Health00311023301216

Against Sectarianism3011011001109Road Accidents0311010102009

Bread Crisis0062100000009Import Traders1201110101008

Fishermen0212010000017Bakeries Owners1010001100004

Masters and PHD holders

1000000001002

Electricity0000000100012Butchers0000000000011

Other23121161479763888Total142440292132273234302433340

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Table 3The most Common methods used for labor and professional protests

Sit-inStrikeGathering, protest, or gathering in Standing

Hunger Strike

Other MethodsTotal

Jan68100024Feb46100020Mar116019Apr216009May5231011Jun5360014Jul9120012

Aug1650012Sep5181016Oct2251110Nov29102023Dec013105Total42417262165

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Table 4The most Common methods used for Social sector protests

Sit-inStrikeGathering, protest, or gathering in Standing

Total

Jan001818Feb112022Mar504651Apr002727May301518Jun302326Jul102829

Aug302730Sep003131Oct002828Nov501722Dec003838Total211318340

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Table 5Geographical location of labor and professional protests

SectorJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov½Dec

Total

Cairo41224771455345Giza1100010120107

Qalubia31100000213011Alexandria1010043000009

Gharbia13100002003111Daqahlia1100002000015

Sharqia31021001200010Damietta1000000000001Monufia1101012000107Fayoum0000000100001

Asyut0010100000002Sohag0100000100103Qena1000001000002

Luxor0100000010002Minia0102002000106

Beni Suef0000000001113Aswan22102021000111

Suez1010001101005Port Said0100010000103

Behaira0100000000001Kafr El-Sheikh02002010401010

South Sinai100000000001New Valley0001000000203

Others0111000101105Total21199910142110159217165

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Table 6Geographical location of Social Sector protests

SectorJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov½Dec

Total

Cairo54178511546761290Giza00130236311222

Qalubia10211001211212Alexandria00310232631627

Gharbia12310014110216Daqahlia22422404430128

Sharqia03122121010114Damietta02212002110213Monufia11311321230220Fayoum0000000010113

Asyut0110001110106Sohag0022000000004Qena1142000010009

Luxor1111101000107Minia1020000011117

Beni Suef0010101000104Aswan21001231010011

Suez0101000011105Port Said12000002121110

Behaira0010001000114Ismailia0001010000002

Kafr El-Sheikh10002031023214North Sinai0000000000112South Sinai001000100002New Valley0000002000114

Other0220000000004Total172351271826293031282238340

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