Trade unions in Egypt first emerged at the start of the 20th century, although organised collective action in the form of strikes undertaken by workers was recorded as early as 1882. The Manual Trade Workers Union was founded in 1908 under the leadership of the Egyptian Nationalist Party in 1908.
The 2008 Egyptian general strike was a strike which occurred on 6 April 2008, by Egyptian workers, primarily in the state-run textile industry, in response to low wages and rising food costs. Strikes are illegal in Egypt and authorities have been given orders to break demonstrations forcefully in the past. The strike took place just two days before key municipal elections.
Kamal Abbas is General Coordinator of the Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS), an activist group for independent unions in Egypt. Involved in activism for over 20 years, Abbas has been active in mobilizing worker support during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 and its aftermath. His approach emphasizes peaceful strikes and rallies accompanied by demands for better wages and working conditions, as well as more regular elections for union officials, and an independent union system.
The Misr Spinning and Weaving Company is a large textile company located in El-Mahalla El-Kubra within the Nile Delta of Egypt, approximately 80 kilometers north of Cairo. It is a state-owned enterprise held by the Holding Company for Cotton, Spinning, Weaving and Garments. Egypt's largest industrial facility employs over 25,000 workers, many of whom have played an active role in Egyptian labor struggles. Large protests and strikes at Misr Spinning and Weaving since 2006 contributed to the collapse of the Mubarak government, the 2011 Egyptian revolution, and the Arab Spring more generally.
The First Sahrawi Intifada forms part of the wider and ongoing Western Sahara conflict. It began in 1999 and lasted until 2004, transforming into the Independence Intifada in 2005.
In 1989, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 1990, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 1946, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 1947, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 1948, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 2005, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
In 2000, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.
