Railway workers threaten full strike

Negotiations between the Cabinet, the Ministry of Manpower, and railway workers have resulted in the latter suspending their strike until next Saturday.

According to state-owned Al-Ahram, 12 workers attended the meeting as representatives of train conductors, ticket collectors and supervisors along with Workers’ Union President and Shura Council member Al-Gebaly Al-Maraghy and General Syndicate Chairman Abdel Fattah Fekry.

Railway workers are demanding salary raises, meal allowances, more incentives for train conductors, payment of annual profits, and recognition of the Independent Railway Workers’ Syndicate, according to Tarek Al-Beheiry, vice president of the Independent Transport Workers’ Union.

Mohamed Abdel Sattar, president of the General Railway Workers’ Syndicate said the workers demand an eight-day vacation per month or cash allowance for the extra days conductors work as well.

Workers threatened a full strike across the country if these demands are not met.

Meanwhile, maintenance workers blocked the Cairo-Alexandria railway on Tuesday afternoon, according to state-owned Al-Ahram, in a protest against unpaid financial incentives and demanding permanent contracts. Residents of Assiut also blocked the Cairo-High Dam railway on Tuesday over fuel and bread shortages.

Egyptian Railway Authority head Hussein Zakaria told Al-Ahram that there are plans to recruit conductors from the army to replace those on strike.

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