Disgruntled Telecom Egypt workers plan Tuesday protest

Workers are to gather in Cairo's Opera Square to demand the release of colleagues and the resignation of the firm's head and board of directors

Telecom Egypt's (TE) employees anger at the company's management is continuing, as chief executive Mohamed Abdel Rehim came up short on his promise to drop charges against five of the company's employees who held him hostage for 21 hours last week.
Workers are planning to stage a large protest Tuesday morning in Opera Square in central Cairo to demand the release of their colleagues and the resignation of Abdel Rehim, his deputies, and the company's board of directors.
The five workers, currently charged with attempted murder, are being held in detention for 15 days pending their case, news that further infuriated TE's workers.
They have threatened to escalate their protest and start a general strike which would result in cutting landline telephones and internet to Egypt.
Some news sources claimed that the strike has already started in 28 phone centres, but Ahram Online was unable to confirm this.
Employees of the company's telephone directory service are continuing to strike
TE provides 70 per cent of Egypt's internet service and is the sole provider of international phone services.
The company also owns 45 per cent of mobile phone operator Vodafone Egypt.