Use of asbestos has been, and still is, the cause of countless human tragedies, even though the danger is known. Today the victims of these tragedies organize to assert their rights and ensure that justice is done. The injuries they suffered can never be repaired - lung fibroses and pleural plates that make breathing and life in general difficult, cancers that sentence many of them to an early death - but they demand at least the eradication of this poison, and compensation. Progress in this respect varies. In some countries asbestos mining has continued despite an official ban, without any safety precautions to protect workers. In Egypt an emblematic struggle has been on-going since November 2004 between ex-workers of Ura-Misr, a fibrocement piping factory, and the company’s owner. The Egyptian authorities, whose role is decisive, are hesitant and even tend to take the company’s side. That is what this call for international mobilisation is intended to change.

Workers from the Ura-Misr factory reported [1] that 360 tons of cement and 36 tons of asbestos were loaded off trucks daily and carried by four men, on their backs, to the mixer. The asbestos bags were opened by hand without gloves, masks or protective clothing. Each worker emptied 450kg per hour into the machine, for eight hours a day.

Since the extractor often broke down, "dust particles flew around everywhere", to the extent of damaging the machines and their control systems which were changed several times. The air was extremely hot and humid. The ground was never cleaned and a worker had to clear disposable filters with a metallic brush to use them again.

When the machine broke down the worker "went into it" to remove bits of bag blocked inside. The pipes were also carried on men’s backs, in an underground warehouse. Dust particles spewed out by the oil boiler fell on the workers. Water pipes were covered in bitumen by hand, outside in the sun, and consequently gave off toxic fumes.

Salaries were never more than 300 pounds (€37.5) per month, after 23 years of service. A cleaner earned 180 pounds and "porters" earned 250 to 280 pounds.

X-rays and health tests concealed

Since 1993 eight employees have died. From 1997 more and more workers had asbestosis symptoms, yet until 1998 the owner and successive managers of Ura-Misr concealed the dangers of asbestos from the workers. Precautions for use, written on the bags of asbestos in English and French, were neither translated nor applied by the firm, and the workers received no protection. Their X-rays and reports from their annual health check-ups by the national health service were not shown to them.

It was only when one of their managers died from asbestos-induced cancer, in 1998, that Ura-Misr workers discovered that they were all seriously contaminated.

From 2001 the national health insurance doctor was "encouraged" not to recognized any cases of occupational disease.

In the factory the patients unable to work were posted at the entrance gate, at a far lower wage. Those suffering from respiratory impairment, compression of the spine or deafness were therefore forced to carry on doing the same job if they wanted to keep all or some of their wages.

Trial under way

The workers and their trade union laid charges against the government and the national health system to obtain compensation and the application of regulations on occupational health and safety.

From 2002 the Ura-Misr factory was closed several times because the owner refused to apply the authorities’ recommendations. After the last closure, in September 2004, he stopped paying the wages of 52 workers and subsequently fired them, along with 27 others, in late December 2004 and early January 2005.

800 tons dumped

In March 2003 the Ura-Misr management dumped 700 to 800 tons of waste next to the factory. The workers, accompanied by workers from two neighbouring factories, followed the trucks transporting the waste, to witness the offence. The trade union then lodged a complaint with the Ministry of the Environment, which sent a commission of inquiry. The unionists also lodged a complaint with the police who closed the file after asking Ura-Misr to cover the asbestos with sand. Ura-Mist subsequently buried the rest of its waste in the factory grounds and in its workshops.

Since November 2004 the dismissed workers have occupied the factory to obtain their wages, compensation for injuries, and either redundancy payment or their former jobs in conditions that meet legal health standards.

However, failure to win the first two lawsuits in February 2005 has revealed the existence of total deadlock, due to the authorities’ attitude. They claim that the lung fibroses from which the workers are suffering are unrelated to asbestos and are therefore not occupational diseases. The workers therefore fail to qualify for financial compensation.

Apart from these lawsuits to obtain compensation for permanent disability, the workers laid charges against the firm for unfair dismissal in January 2005 and for failure to pay their wages since September 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION :

ANDEVA
In France the Association Nationale de Défence des Victimes de l’Amiante promotes solidarity between victims, compensation for damages, improvement in medical care, and information for people exposed to the risk. It also works towards improving public health policy. An article on the Egyptian workers’ struggle will be published in its next newsletter.
Site : http://andeva.free.fr
Tél. : 01 41 93 73 87

WHAT TO DO ?

By letter: cut and paste the standard letter below or use your own wording. Send your letter to the address indicated below (in the letter) and remember to add your own name and address and to sign your letter.

Deadline: as soon as you receive this call and not later than 30 June 2005.

LETTER :

His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohammed Nazif

Magles El Shaab St
Kasr El Aini Street
Cairo
Egypt

Date:

Dear Mr Minister,

I have been informed by Réseau-Solidarité (Rennes, France) of violations of the economic and social rights of workers at the company Ura-Misr.

These workers have been exposed to asbestos fibres for periods ranging from 20 to 22 years. In the Ura-Misr factory, safety measures were not complied with and the workers have contracted asbestos-related diseases. Furthermore, since September 2004, 52 workers of the company have not received their wages, and between November 2004 and January 2005, 79 workers were fired.

I fully support the employees in demanding the following:
  that Ura-Misr pay the back wages owed to all the dismissed workers;
  that their injuries be recognized as occupational injuries;
  that they receive compensation, free treatment and remedies as stipulated by Egyptian law.

I understand that the workers have filed complaints to the courts and to the government but to date they have obtained no results. I therefore call upon you to ensure that steps are immediately taken to meet the workers’ demands.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope that you will keep me informed of the steps you take to address these concerns.

Yours sincerely,

[1] Witnesses filmed and interviewed on site. The film and its script are available from the Support Committee.