Experienced gained by the labor movement in Egypt helped the pro-democracy protesters achieve their independence. Even such simple lessons as how many people had to be on a street corner in order to have ministry officials speak to the group. Today, the Egyptian military, currently running the country, are threatening a ban on strikes.
Egypt’s new ruling military council is criticizing public workers who are striking and protesting for better pay following President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster.
A military spokesman read the new communique on state television Monday, urging an end to the unrest in order to allow the country to return to normal.
Thousands of state employees are protesting in Egypt’s capital Cairo as part of this wave of labor unrest.
It cannot be emphasized enough that the single greatest tool available to the people is the Egyptian economy. The protests were said to cost $310 million per day and Mubarak would not likely have left otherwise.
Speaking with Democracy Now, Mona El-Ghobashy says, “There is a pre-history to this revolt. For us to understand the significance of what is happening today, we have to link it to the fabric of the Egyptian politics starting in 2000.”
