Detention of Nine “T&C” Workers Based on Management’s Complaint… Worker Representatives: “We Are Facing Threats of Arrest, Termination, and Intimidation to End Our Strike”

The Al-Obour Prosecution in Qalyubiyya Governorate has ordered the detention of nine workers from the Turkish-Egyptian Ready-Made Garments Company (T&C) for a period of four days pending investigation. These workers were arrested in relation to their involvement in a labor strike that commenced on January 16, 2024, in which they sought improvements in their financial conditions.

Representatives of the workers informed the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights that the arrests took place at the workers’ residences, based on a formal complaint filed by the company’s legal counsel. The workers are facing charges under Case No. 264 of 2025, Al-Obour Misdemeanor Court, which includes allegations of inciting an unlawful strike.

The detained individuals include: Mohamed Amara Ahmed Salem, Abdulrahman Mostafa El-Sayed, Ahmed Hassan Abdelaziz, Mohamed Nabil Salem Mohamed, Ibrahim Raafat El-Sayed, Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelwahab, Islam Galal Ismail, and Mohamed Abdelnasser Abdelrahman.

The workers’ representatives further disclosed that arrest warrants have been issued for additional workers under similar charges. They have stated that the strike will continue on January 28, 2024, with the goal of securing the immediate release of the detained workers.

Additionally, workers claim that the company management has conveyed through multiple supervisors and managers that a decision has been made to deduct ten days of pay from workers’ monthly wages and annual leave balances in exchange for agreeing to a proposed annual raise of 20%. This raise, they argue, does not meet their financial demands.

It is significant to note that the company has experienced prior labor disputes, including a large-scale strike in 2014 protesting a proposal to separate the Egyptian partner from the Turkish partner, as well as two additional strikes in 2024. These earlier disputes centered around demands for a 50% annual raise and a protest against reductions in incentive pay. As a result, the management approved an increase, which, however, fell short of meeting the minimum wage standards set by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The workers have been on strike since January 16, 2025, continuing to press for better compensation, while the company has refused to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve the dispute. Workers report being threatened with termination, dismissal, and police intervention if they do not cease their strike activities, according to the workers’ representatives.

The workers’ demands include the implementation of a minimum wage of 6,000 EGP, an annual raise structured progressively based on tenure, halting deductions greater than 20% of their salaries, and raising wages by no less than 50%. Furthermore, they seek improvements in transportation provisions, which currently cost workers approximately 1,000 EGP per month, as well as an increase in the daily meal allowance, which is currently set at 23 EGP per month. They further demand that the meal allowance be paid year-round, as it has been suspended during Ramadan despite extended work hours. Additionally, workers call for enhanced working conditions in the laundry department, which operates under two 12-hour shifts.

Workers’ representatives reported that department managers have threatened dismissal for those refusing to return to work. Some have also warned of police involvement to quell the strike, capitalizing on the heavy security presence around the facility.

Furthermore they mentioned reports of workers’ families gathering outside the Al-Obour Police Station upon hearing of the arrests, which followed complaints from the company. Workers from the packing, laundry, and cutting departments were reportedly recalled from mandatory leave under the false pretext that the company had approved a 50% raise. However, the majority of workers refused to return to work, insisting on the continuation of the strike until their demands were met.

The workers’ representatives added that the company management has failed to pay the incentive for the previous month and continues to pressure workers to end their strike. The company also refuses to comply with the annual raise required by the current Labor Law, which mandates an increase of no less than 7%.

Negotiations between the company and workers’ representatives—attended by MPs Amr Darwish and Solafa Darwish, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Manpower and the Workers’ Union in Qalyubia—resulted in a proposed raise of 1,000 EGP per month, including a 700 EGP salary increase, a 200 EGP meal allowance, and a 100 EGP incentive. However, this proposal has yet to be finalized and is pending approval from the company’s representatives. The workers rejected the offer, maintaining their demand for a 50% salary increase in addition to full implementation of the government’s minimum wage policy, which has not been fully adopted by the company.

Despite these ongoing negotiations, the company’s management has hinted at the possibility of dismissing the workers and closing the facility, as it continues to refuse direct negotiations with the legitimate worker representatives. Workers have called on state authorities for protection.

The company has also prohibited the formation of an independent workers’ union, despite having more than 7,000 employees, in violation of the Union Organization Law No. 213 of 2017. Instead, the company presents a group of individuals loyal to management as worker representatives during visits from partner brands, falsely claiming that workers receive all their legally entitled benefits.

In 2024, the company’s exports reached approximately $60 million, with plans to increase this figure to $100 million by the end of 2026. The company also announced plans to invest $35 million to further boost its export revenue, according to statements by the Egyptian Chairman, Magdy Talata.

Over the past months, the company, owned by Egyptian businessman Magdy Talata and the Turkish Tay Group, has invested 500 million EGP in expansions to increase export revenue to $200 million this year, compared to an estimated $125 million in 2024.

The company exports its products exclusively to foreign markets, with 70% of exports going to the United States and 30% to European markets. Over the past four years, the company has successfully tripled its investment output.

The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights expresses its full solidarity with the workers’ legitimate demands and calls for an end to harassment and threats against them. The Center stands ready to provide legal support to the workers.