In the largest Labor GatheringReal Estate Tax Collectors Lead Social ResistanceWidespread Discontent among Egypt's University Professors Concerning their Low WagesThe Stagnant Salaries Decimated by Wildly Surging Prices and the absent of a Government's Social Vision are to Push the Nation to Steep EdgeThe Coordinating Committee Layouts a Plan for Improving Wages

With stagnant salaries decimated by wildly surging prices, or in other words those whose salaries and benefits have not kept pace with sharp rises in the cost of living, along with the absent of a government's social vision, the whole society is to be pushed in a deep abyss. This real state of affair has created resentment not only among lower classes but also among middle classes. We can test this argument by the campaign organized by university professors, demanding improvement in their salaries so as to improve their economic and social conditions. The importance they attach to this demand is related to the small budget earmarked for scientific research, a matter that pushes them to spend from their own salaries on scientific research. On the other hand, this topsy-turvy situation leads some professors to get involved in private lessons trade. Some analysts argue that the government seeks, through low wages, for creating staff vacuum among public university professors to push them towards private universities.On the same context of widespread discontent, the Real Estate Tax Collectors started a strike, demanding improvement in work conditions to be on a par with their colleagues at the Ministry of Finance. By the way, they are employed by the local councils, and receive only small wages compared to their counterparts at the Ministry of Finance. So, one of their crucial demands is to be under the ministry's administration. In November 2007 the Real Estate Tax Officers went on a sit-in for four straight days in the down town Cairo-based General Trade Union Federation headquarters. In another round of protests, the collectors have continued their sit-in for the third consecutive day in front of the Cabinet building. In the same context, approximately 50 thousand Real Estate officers went on strike waiting for their demands to be met. While the Prime Minister refused to meet them, security services asked them to stop strike and go back to work, but they refused to obey orders. In response, many political players (Labor Solidarity Commission, Tagammu and Karama parties) have shown solidarity with the strikers and sent blankets and tents for women. Also Hamden Sabahi has scheduled an appointment with Fathi Sorour, People's Assembly speaker, to be held with labor representatives within the upcoming hours.Not only does the Coordinating Committee for Labor Rights & Liberties support the legitimate demands for decent wages of both Real Estate Tax Collectors and university professors, it also claim for putting a minimum wage standards, to be elaborated by the absent National Council for Wages. The minimum wage as the Coordinating Committee sees has to be not less than LE 1500 as well as the annual increase to keep pace with sharp rises in the cost of living. For achieving this demand, the workers have to campaign for:-        gathering forces by all wage-earners for demanding a nationwide minimum wage;-        pressing on the National Council for Wages to rapidly articulate the minimum wage standards according to the food basket and proportion of independents, as well as promoting it to keep pace with inflation;-        advocating for it to be part and parcel of the individual and collective employment contracts;-        increasing the present periodical bonuses to keep pace with the cost of living;-        Redistributing the wages' table appended to the law 47/1978 regulating civil service, though it had been amended by the laws 136/1980, 31/1983 and 54/1984. By noting the last year in which the law was amended (1984) we can figure out the huge gape between the rising prices and inflation on one hand and the real wages on the other. To rectify this situation, the Committee suggests annexing the Labor Day grant, equals to LE 120, and social bonuses to salaries;-        Activating the role of both professional and labor syndicates in this issue as well as publicizing it;-        Raising awareness of all wage earners of issues like proper wage and fair wage. 6/12/2007