The Egyptian workers are requesting messages of protest be faxed to Egyptian embassies...

South African readers: Please assist by faxing a message to the embassy in SA. Here is the number - 012 343 1082. Here is the email address: egyptemb@global.co.za

Real Estate Tax Collectors Strike

On Sunday 21st October, 55, 000 real estate tax officers started a strike, demanding improvement in work condition to be on par with their counterparts in other government civil service sectors. In effect the strike started right after the Eid holidays through work stoppages; there was a 90 percent drop in tax collection activity. The geographical scale of the strike is significant as it will include provinces from Upper (South) and Lower (North) Egypt.

The real estate tax officers are employed by the local councils and receive only one-fourth of the monthly salary (LE 1200/$216, including bonuses) of their colleagues at the Ministry of Finance.

Approximately 3000 strikers from Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Monofiye, Beni Sueif, Menya, Daqahlia and Beheria gathered outside the Ministry of Finance and chanted slogans against Fianance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali and Islamil Abdel Rasul, head of the Real Estate Tax Administration.

There are rumours that the government will solve the tax collectors problems by December 1st, though this has not stopped the strike and strike organizers have promised that no taxes will be collected until that date. If demands are not met by then the tax collectors will launch another round of protests.