Strikes launched in 5 Egyptian Governorates

Nearly 700 nurses, workers and employees at al-Azhar hospital in Damietta Governorate launched a strike Monday at the hospital’s campus to protest delinquent salary payments. The protest disrupted hospital operations, according to observers, who said the hospital administration failed to effectively manage the crisis.

Nursing sector head Amal Farouk said the strike intended to show the hospital administration the protestors will not relent until their salaries are received. Nurse Khaled Abd al-Aziz said the hospital’s administration refuses to pay salary increases and incentives stipulated by hospital regulations.

In related news, Fayoum Governorate witnessed dozens of truck drivers protesting governor Galal Mostafa Saeed’s decision to refuse the return of their license plates unless they pay a fine of LE10,000--imposed on the truck drivers for alleged parking and obstruction of traffic violations. The drivers denied the allegations and insisted they could not afford such a high fine.

Employees at Banha University in Qalyubiyah Governorate organized a strike at the university's administration building to protest Banha's President Dr. Mohamed Safwat Thahran’s decision to extend working hours one hour to 3PM and to cancel paid vacations. The protestors chanted slogans denouncing the decision, calling them “intransigent”. The protestors also threatened to organize a sit in if their demands were not granted.

Hundreds of Kandaliya district residents in al-Gharbiya Governorate Monday refused to meet with a delegation sent to convince them to leave their homes and move into homes provided by the governorate under the pretext of developing the, government-deemed "unsafe", area.

Hundreds of hospital workers also demonstrated in front of al-Hussein University Hospital to protest low salaries and poor working conditions. Workers at the radiology department demanded pay equitable to their nursing colleagues.

The radiology workers said they were only paid LE1 for radiation exposure compensation despite filing a lawsuit demanding LE150. The female nurses at the hospital also complained of poor treatment by the hospital administration. Most of them now suffer from medical conditions related to the lack of hospital safety procedures, they said.

In Fayoum Governorate, hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) students Monday organized a demonstration in front of the Fayoum University’s Faculty of Agriculture to protest the harassment of a fellow MB female student. The student was detained by university security officers where he proceeded to self-inspect her and her belongings in a humiliating manner. The student said the officer had insulted her and given her sexually suggestive looks.