Sunday, Apr 06, 2008
MAHALLA AL-KOBRA, Egypt (AP)--Workers say Egyptian security forces have prevented them from carrying out a planned strike at Egypt's largest state-owned textile factory.
Worker Mustafa Foda says the strike was scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Sunday when the workers changed shifts, but hundreds of security forces arrived hours earlier and took control of the Mahalla al-Kobra textile factory. The 25-year company veteran says he was prevented from entering the factory and saw security forces arrest some 150 workers ahead of the shift change.
A second worker Mohammed Attar who was against the strike said the protest has been canceled but didn't provide a reason.
The factory 120 kilometers north of Egypt's capital Cairo was operational Sunday, but stores nearby were closed.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-04-08 0853GMT
