Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Knocking on the president's door
Published in Daily News Egypt on 05 - 07 - 2012

They are climbing the walls, sliding notes through the cracks and banging on doors trying to get a little time with the man inside.
They have come with demands for someone who represents the ‘everyman,' only this everyman is President Mohamed Morsy.
After the over-throwing of the almost mythic Hosni Mubarak, whose security apparatus would have readily arrested those near, much less, outside of his presidential palace, President Morsy's short tenure seems to herald a new era where both demands and the man himself can be met.
There is evidence that Morsy is quite fond of speaking with ‘everyman' Egyptians.
Before delving into the meat of his inaugural speech, taking the oath of office for a second time, inside Cairo University, Morsy was quick to apologize to around 100 students standing outside protesting the cancelling of exams at the university in lieu of the event.
Morsy similarly bore his unprotected chest to crowds gathered in Tahrir Square in a show of commonality with the public.
If that's not enough, the president reportedly met with a delegation from Cleopatra Ceramics representing their grievances on Monday.
They met with President and he promised to deliver a response within 48 hours and, according to a spokesperson for Cleopatra Ceramics, assured that the solution would be a legal one.
“They are members of a managerial committee; not a union committee like they claim." The media centre told the Daily News Egypt, adding that their demands are both illegal and uneconomic.
“If their demands are met, it would lead to the closing down of the company altogether."
The media centre also added that the workers have disrupted production for five times throughout the past 16 months, for a total of 3 months.
Similar accounts about the protesters were echoed by the company's owner, AbulEnein, a prominent ex-member of the now dissolved National Democratic Party, who stated that the protesters were supported by ‘external hands' and that the main purpose of their ongoing protests is to gain ownership of the company, according to Al-Wady news.
On Wednesday the protesters suspended their sit-in after their meeting with the president on Monday, only to cut-off the Ain Sokhna road after receiving the president's response to their demands.
In a phone call from the presidential palace the protesters were told that their demands will be met, but they will be held financially responsible for the production disrupted since 20 June.
Protesters from Helwan Cement and Tora Cement companies closed down the roads to the presidential palace, in a bold escalation of the palace sit-in.
Some protesters went even as far as trying to gain access into the presidential palace, with a few even climbing the fences.
Workers at the Cleopatra Ceramics factories were the first to start the trend of staging protests at the Presidential Palace on Monday, demanding their delayed payments from the annual profits.
The group's chairman, Mohamed AbulEnein, had earlier refused their demands, accusing them of disrupting production.
The workers earlier brokered a deal with leaders of the Third Army as well as the minister of manpower and immigration in regards to receiving profits, which had been delayed since 1997, according to Al-Badil newspaper.
They were soon joined by workers from several other organisations, including the Italian Pirelli company for tires.
The protesting workers, who had moved their sit-in Monday from infront of the Italian consulate in Alexandria to the presidential palace,demand the return of their fired co-workers as well as receiving the full payment of their annual profits, getting health insurance for their families and disbursement of delayed monthly salaries.
Wednesday saw even more new-comers, as workers from the Nile Company for textiles arrived to the presidential palace, demanding the president's intervention to implement the working agreement, which the independent syndicate had brokered in April with the company's chairman under the auspices of the minister of manpower and migration.
The agreement comprise of increasing the insurance payment, as well as the payment of social and periodic raises as issued by the government.
Not only were the demonstrators calling for workers' rights, but a march entitled “Freedom march II" went straight to the presidential palace Monday, calling for releasing all detainees imprisoned on background of any events related to the January uprising.


Clic here to read the story from its source.