After Imprisonment and Five Years of Suspension for “Demanding His Dues”: Court Orders Reinstatement of Union Worker at Hassan Allam and Payment of Outstanding Wages
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) obtained a judicial ruling from the 40th Labor Circuit of the North Cairo Court in its session held on September 25, 2024, rejecting a lawsuit filed by Al Nasr General Contracting (Hassan Allam) against union worker Talal Atef El-Sayed, who, along with others, had been accused of participating in a strike that allegedly harmed public interests and caused property damage. This was part of labor case No. 1883 of 2019.
The incident dates back to March 6, 2019, when Talal El-Sayed, along with several colleagues, went to the company’s administrative headquarters in Abbasiya to inquire about the reasons for the delay in the payment of their wages. The company responded by filing a police report against them (No. 1311/2019, Al-Waili Administrative), accusing them of incitement, work stoppage, and organizing a strike that disrupted operations and caused damage to the premises. Subsequently, El-Sayed and seven of his colleagues were arrested and held in pre-trial detention for nearly two months before being released on bail.
After his release, El-Sayed was surprised to face a new lawsuit filed by the company, seeking his suspension from employment. In response, he filed a labor lawsuit demanding his reinstatement, payment of his outstanding wages, and compensation. In mid-2021, the court stayed the proceedings pending the completion of investigations into the initial police report, which had been referred to the Supreme State Security Prosecution and subsequently incorporated into case No. 500 of 2014, which was later administratively closed.
On May 16, 2024, ECESR attorneys filed a request to resume legal proceedings after obtaining a certificate confirming the case’s closure. This became a decisive factor in the final ruling, which ordered the worker’s reinstatement after more than five years of suspension and the payment of his overdue wages.
Commenting on the ruling, Mostafa Khairy, an attorney with ECESR, welcomed the decision, stating that it represents a significant victory for labor rights. He emphasized that the pursuit of legitimate entitlements cannot be used as a pretext for retaliatory measures or the denial of workers’ rights.
