Egyptian workers demand better wages
Source: Agencies |
February 18, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AT least 1,500 Egyptian workers from the Suez Canal Authority protested for better pay yesterday in three cities straddling the strategic waterway, one of the world's major transit routes for shipping and oil transport.
Though the action raised concerns that labor unrest along the canal could escalate, the workers vowed their protest would not disrupt traffic through the waterway - the only direct passage linking the Mediterranean with the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. About 7.5 percent of world sea trade passes through the canal, the shortest route between Europe and Asia. Suez is a major source of revenue for Egypt, used to transport more than 1 million barrels of crude oil daily, or almost 6 percent of world oil supply.
The Suez protests are part of growing labor unrest rekindled by the 18-day uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak on February 11. Strikes and protests are deepening economic malaise, compounded by weeks of bank closures that are hampering business operations and the drying up of tourism - a major money earner for Egypt.
With strike pressure building, the country's new military rulers have appealed for calm. They say they need to be able to ensure security in order to move ahead with the rapid democratic reforms protesters are demanding.
But they have run into repeated problems. Aside from the strikes, they face security challenges and a measure of distrust by some who question how committed they are to reform.
The military was deployed on January 28 to try to restore security.
Though the action raised concerns that labor unrest along the canal could escalate, the workers vowed their protest would not disrupt traffic through the waterway - the only direct passage linking the Mediterranean with the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. About 7.5 percent of world sea trade passes through the canal, the shortest route between Europe and Asia. Suez is a major source of revenue for Egypt, used to transport more than 1 million barrels of crude oil daily, or almost 6 percent of world oil supply.
The Suez protests are part of growing labor unrest rekindled by the 18-day uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak on February 11. Strikes and protests are deepening economic malaise, compounded by weeks of bank closures that are hampering business operations and the drying up of tourism - a major money earner for Egypt.
With strike pressure building, the country's new military rulers have appealed for calm. They say they need to be able to ensure security in order to move ahead with the rapid democratic reforms protesters are demanding.
But they have run into repeated problems. Aside from the strikes, they face security challenges and a measure of distrust by some who question how committed they are to reform.
The military was deployed on January 28 to try to restore security.
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