Revolutionary Socialists in Egypt call for workers to support a general strike on 11 February

After the blood of 100 martyrs has been spilled: Workers of Egypt – rise up and save the revolution!

Last 11 February we kicked out the tyrant, but today we’re still living the same old way—and our demands are still the same. We won’t accept statements and promises any more—while every month more revolutionaries are dying. The latest massacres that the military organised against the Ultras who took part in the revolution, gave 100 martyrs after the Egyptian people rose up across the country against military rule.

Because of this we too must move, just as we did in February last year, remembering that we were then one hand, united from Alexandria to Aswan. On that day the public transport workers, the airport workers, Suez and hundreds of other workplaces all struck together. We stopped the profits that they squeeze out our sweat and toil—and the tyrant realised the game was up.

Today we have to take action to win our demands. And don’t forget whoever remains silent over the blood of his brother is a coward. Whoever keeps his mouth shut today in order to get his daily bread will be slaughtered just like his brother tomorrow, when he goes to claim his rights at work or in front of the parliament.

Workers of Egypt, bring the revolution to victory! It is the only way to win your demands after the military decided to continue the policies of privatisation, job cuts and borrowing from the World Bank.

They refused to return the privatised companies to the public sector despite the judges’ ruling in favour; the government is refusing to give temporary workers secure jobs; the cronies of the old regime are still in charge in the workplace. That is why we must strike, occupy and demonstrate for the victory of the young people who are falling in battle like flowers crushed by treacherous hands and in order to win the following demands:

• the resignation of Ganzoury’s government and the creation of revolutionary tribunals to put on trial Mubarak and the killers of the revolutionaries
• return of the privatised companies, an end to privatisation, and work for all the unemployed
• cleansing the ministries and companies of the cronies of the old regime, starting with the Ministry of the Interior and the media, an end to corruption
• a minimum wage and pension of no less than 1,500 Egyptian pounds per month and the payment of unemployment benefit
• temporary workers to be made permanent across every sector and payment of workers’ delayed benefits and bonuses
• speeding up the introduction of a law on trade unions and a labour law which protects workers’ rights and extends health and social insurance to all workers and the immediate return to work of all sacked trade union activists
• price controls on basic goods and the linking of wages to prices

These will be achieved in the following ways:

• ending military rule and the immediate opening of nominations for the presidential elections
• imposition of progressive taxation: it is a joke that [billionaire businessman Naguib] Sawiris pays the same as an ordinary office worker
• nationalisation of the monopoly companies producing strategic commodities
• bringing the funds in the special accounts into the general state budget

Because we are organising our protests on 11 February we must organise strike committees in the workplaces, neighbourhoods and villages today and not tomorrow. It is these which will decide how we take part and for which demands.

Workers of Egypt, your strike is a step forward. You have nothing to lose but poverty and humiliation!

Take part! Strike! Occupy! Demonstrate!

Workers’ Office, Revolutionary Socialists Movement
5 February 2012
www.e-socialists.net/node/8249