Security forces on Tuesday clashed with thousands of Information Decision Support Center (IDSC) employees while they staged an open-ended sit-in before the ministerial cabinet on Hussein Hegazy Street. Protesters demanded the government implement a decision taken in May to raise their salaries. Demonstrators blocked Qasr al-Ainy Street for almost 20 minutes, shouting anti-government chants, until security forces forcibly returned them back to Hussein Hegazy Street. An Al-Masry Al-Youm reporter and photographer were assaulted by security in an attempt to prevent them from covering the protest. The employees on Monday announced they would organize a march from Tahrir Square to the People's Assembly, but instead they opted to stage their sit-in in front of the cabinet. Many security leaders were on location, most notably head of the Cairo Security Directorate Ismail al-Shaer. Minister of Local Development Abdel Salam al-Mahgoub said he met Tuesday with a group of protesting employees and informed them of the prime minister's agreement on new contracts issuance. Al-Mahgoub said they would follow the same administration but work on the population issue in collaboration with the Ministry of State for Family and Population. Employees will receive their new contracts within a week and their new salaries will be disbursed by December, al-Mahgoub told Al-Masry Al-Youm. Salaries will range between LE320-380. Meanwhile, protest coordinator Gharib Hafez said, “The proposal of transferring us to other ministries means officials are not willing to implement decisions taken.” Hussein Megawer, head of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), said the crisis will end in hours. He said he will meet with representatives of employees to urge them to be patient, he told Al-Masry Al-Youm, and not to follow those who push them to protest. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
