Assiut workers protest living conditions

Thousands of workers and employees from the Upper Egyptian city of Assiut protested today, calling for better living conditions and higher pay, and condemning corrupt officials who headed government bodies under the ousted regime.

Approximately 1500 employees from a local businessmen's association staged a sit-in for the second consecutive day to demand permanent contracts, higher pay and better working conditions.  

Mohamed Zaki, one of the protesting employees, said that after working with the association for several years he receives a monthly salary of only LE250. Meanwhile top-ranking managers receive much higher salaries, he added.

Around 4000 workers from the Assiut Cement Company also staged a sit-in to demand permanent contracts and to call for a profit-sharing system as well as to express their rejection of the daily-wage basis for work.

The workers also called for returning the company to its former Egyptian owners instead of the current Mexican owner, who they say purchased the factory at an extremely low price.

Another 2000 workers from the Assiut Fertilizer Factory organized a sit-in to demand better compensation and permanent contracts and called for the departure of the general manager of the factory.