Suez Canal University Hospital was paralyzed on Monday morning as hundreds of nurses went on strike to protest against new regulations, to be enforced in the next few days, that would cut the bonuses and extend working hours.
"The administration's decision to give senior nursing staff members shifts of up to 12 hours long is very unfair to them, overloading them," said Nadia, head of the nursing staff at the hospital.
The new regulations also reduce the bonuses allocated to nurses, according to Nadia, unlike other university hospitals where nursing staff bonuses would not be reduced.
The protesting nurses chanted against the hospital's management, calling for the dismissal of the hospital's manager.
They also demanded the intervention of Mamdouh Ghorab, president of the Suez Canal University, to resolve the crisis.
Ghorab said in a statement that he would study the nurses' demands and negotiate for a solution.
Emergency cases have been transferred to Ismailia General Hospital until the nurses return to work.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
