Cairo: 25 October 2018
The Freedom of Expression for Labor and Social Movements of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemns the arrest of prominent trade unionist “Saiyda Sayed Fayed” and the trade union member “Wagdy Al-Sayed Ali”, against the backdrop of their union and labor activity as well as their strenuous efforts to establish an independent nursing syndicate that defends the interests of its members.
The security forces arrested activist Saiyda Fayed on Monday evening, 22 October, after searching her house and seizing her mobile phone and laptop. Thereafter, she appeared before the Prosecution over communiqué No. 29377 of 2018 Helwan Misdemeanor without the presence of a lawyer. Her family wasn’t also given the opportunity to communicate with her. The Prosecution decided to detain Fayed for 15 days until she is returned to appear before it on the 4th of November.
And previously, the security forces arrested trade union activist “Wagdy Al-Sayed Ali” from the street after leaving his workplace (Suez General Hospital) last Monday 15 October, in relation to his union activity as well. He was referred to Ataqa police station in Suez and then he appeared before the Deputy District Attorney of Faisal region in Suez, where he wasn’t able to communicate with his family or even to have a lawyer. The Prosecution ordered his detention for 15 days pending further investigations which will be renewed on the first of November.
It is noteworthy that Saiyda Fayed and Wagdy Al-Sayed are working with their colleagues to form an independent trade union to defend the rights of nurses, after the “Egyptian Nursing General Syndicate” has shrugged off its role in defending them, in addition to the executive branch imposing its power on the syndicate and the lack of perspective towards any democratic change therein.
Employees working in nursing profession complain about the misconduct of the Syndicate Council and the misuse of funds in a way that wouldn’t benefit workers, not to mention the conflict of interest; as Dr. Kawthar Mahmood is in charge of the Nursing Syndicate while at the same time she occupies an executive position at the Ministry of Health.
Nurses in public hospitals suffer from working under pressure due to the shortage of workers and low wages, and that nepotism and favoritism play a major role in the distribution of workers. Also, workers in private hospitals face working conditions that resemble temporary employment; as the majority there works upon fixed-term contracts or without contracts at all.
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