Workers at the Canal Company for Mooring & Lights, a Suez Canal Authority (SCA) affiliate, launched a strike and sit-in on Wednesday, protesting a management decision to slash their annual bonus and incentive payouts by half.
The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms released a statement explaining that the decision was taken unilaterally, without consulting workers’ representatives in in Port Said or Suez. This fueled widespread anger that quickly escalated into a sit-in at the company’s Port Said headquarters.
Workers from the Suez branch later joined the protest, while security forces surrounded the premises and detained one, who was later released, according to the statement.
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services reported that security forces prevented administrative employees from joining the strike, sealing off the company’s entrances and exits.
The strike entered its second day Thursday, with dozens of Suez-based workers arriving overnight by bus to join colleagues in Port Said, Hussein El-Masry, union training coordinator at the Center, told Al Manassa. The workers remain encamp inside company premises.
The Canal Company for Mooring and Lights (CML) is a vital subsidiary of the Suez Canal Authority, providing specialized maritime services to vessels transiting the Suez Canal and docking at the ports of Port Said, Suez, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Nuweiba.
The company that employs about 1,500 workers across the two Canal cities, is responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient passage of ships by supplying trained crews and floating units for mooring and unmooring services, along with powerful searchlights and electricians for night navigation.
El-Masry told Al Manassa that so far no negotiations had begun, and that Suez Canal Authority Chairman Admiral Osama Rabie refused to meet the workers, telling them through his office that he was unavailable and would respond later.
A source from the ECRF, who has been in direct contact with the workers, told Al Manassa that while workers are still prioritizing negotiated resolution, they may pursue legal avenues if the deadlock persists. The ECRF pledged to support any escalation the workers undertake, the source added.
In its statement, the ECRF warned against the use of state force to suppress labor protests, stressing that such measures only intensify grievances and contravene Egypt’s obligations to protect freedom of association, expression, and collective bargaining under international law.
The statement demanded an immediate investigation into the management’s decisions, accountability for those responsible, and the reinstatement of the company’s previous bonus and incentive policies.
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services urged the Ministry of Labour and other relevant agencies to intervene to resolve the crisis, uphold workers’ rights, and commit to genuine social dialogue.
Founded in 1962, the Canal Mooring & Lights company also provides maritime lighting, underwater maintenance, and installs utility pipelines and cables at depths reaching 35 meters. The company’s current capital stands at 100 million Egyptian pounds.
In 2023, Admiral Rabie announced plans to float 20% of the company on the Egyptian stock exchange, integrating it into a holding company as part of Egypt’s broader state privatization program.
However, in July 2024, he said the offering had been postponed to 2025, citing instability in the Red Sea, which continues to severely impact Suez Canal revenues.
