I received the following message of solidarity from the South African NEHAWU, which represents over 190,000 workers from the Education, Health, Government and Social Welfare sectors, and is part of the COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) which is the biggest federation in the country with 1.9 million members…

Dear comrades,
I am writing a letter of support from National Education and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), a large transformative union that has just led an historic strike in the South African Public Service. This strike was unprecedented in the history of SA with more than 17 million work days lost. One million workers withheld their labour power for 31 days to win improvements in wages and conditions of service. What had informed our strike was the implementation of neo-liberal attacks on public services which had degarded quality public service delivery to the South African masses.
We not only support you in this heroic labour struggle but understand the reality of political repression and the difficulties that workers are experiencing in Egypt to exercise their democratic rights to organise, associate and strike.
It has come to our attention that there is an annual Cairo conference and if it is possible please keep us posted on these developments as we would like to participate in this progressive African forum held in the spirit of anti-imerialism and international solidarity.
An injury to one is an injury to all.
Workers united will never be defeated and we send you this message of solidarity in struggle.
Guy Slingsby
Nehawu researcher in organising

Thanks a lot!! I’ll make sure this statement reaches the strikers… Thanks again..! We need more of this shabab…

UPDATE: Click on the poster below to download the solidarity message in Arabic…