Hundreds of workers from the Amonsito company protested yesterday in front of the headquarters of the Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions (EFTU) to demand financial compensation. The protesting workers criticized the National Democratic Party, calling on the government to resign and on President Hosni Mubarak to intervene in their favor. They said Aisha Abdel Hadi, the Manpower Minister, has broken her promises to compensate those workers who are not due pensions from the Social Insurance Fund. The workers rejected a request from Hussein Megawer, president of the EFTU, and Saeed el-Gohari, head of the textiles trade union, to postpone their protest until the board of directors of Banque Misr meets to decide on what action to take concerning the workers' financial entitlements. The workers said their next step will be to move their protest to the Shura Council. Magdi Abbas, vice president of the trade union committee for Amonsito workers, urged Mubarak to intervene personally to ensure the workers receive their dues. He said they will not end their protest until they have been paid in full, which is estimated to cost LE100 million. El-Gohari said the board of directors of Banque Misr will examine tomorrow a memorandum from Hussein Megawer calling for increasing the total compensation to workers from LE50 million to LE86 million. The EFTU sympathizes with the workers but the crisis will not be resolved except through a decision from the government, said el-Gohari. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
