Workers at the Red Sea’s Ain Sokhna seaport have entered their third day on strike, demanding that the managing company, DP World, respond to their demands.
The workers are calling for a danger pay allowance and bonuses for the years 2008 and 2009.
Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry and civilian and military leaders in Suez are trying to broker an accord between the company and the striking workers, according to Abdel Qader Gaballah, director of the Red Sea Seaports Authority.
“The company has agreed to increase the danger pay allowance from 12 percent to 35 percent of the salary,” Gaballah said. He said that the parties have not agreed on the amount for bonuses.
He added that workers and company officials will gather in a meeting attended by Suez governors for negotiations, predicting that a solution will be reached within a few hours. Gaballah added that operations will resume as usual in other parts of the seaport.
DP World signed a monopoly agreement with former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, granting it power to run the seaport until 2032.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
