Workers at the Upper Egypt Mills company in Luxor ended their strike on Tuesday after three days on the picket line. The workers, who produce flour for subsidised bread, went back to work after company bosses agreed to meet four of their 14 demands. The strike had resulted in the temporary closure of several bakeries.
Management from the Upper Egypt Mills company agreed to satisfy workers' demands following the mediation of Luxor Governor Ezzat Saad.
The four demands approved by the company were chiefly financial, including an increase in cash incentives and the extention of health insurance coverage to include all family members.
Security forces intervened on Monday to end clashes between the striking workers and Luxor residents, who had attacked the workers in an attempt to force them to return to work. Imams and leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood also intervened to end the clashes.
Saad, meanwhile, called on all sides to refrain from abusing the current circumstances in the country to "generate chaos".
He also praised mill workers in Esna city who compensated for the drop in bread production by increasing their working hours and refusing to join the strike, adding that he visited the workers at the mill and thanked them himself.
Meanwhile, Rabie al-Qolaie, managing director of the company, said the workers should have presented their demands first, before deciding to go on strike.
The demands will be passed on to Minister of Supply Gouda Abdel Khaleq, he said, adding that the company has recently raised the salaries of its workers.
Translated from the Al-Masry Al-Youm
