Suez Canal University workers demand wage increase

Hundreds of workers at the Suez Canal University have held a demonstration outside the main building, demanding an increased incentive bonus and education allowances. The protesters want their incentive bonus raised by 300 percent, in three stages and the performance allowance to increase from LE 300 ($45) to LE 1200 ($175), in line with the generic education allowance capped at LE 2500 ($370). They also said that they stood in solidarity with workers in other universities who are making similar demands. Earlier, workers at several Egyptian universities had agreed to hold protests outside administrative offices on March 17, 24 and April 1. The protests would begin at 1000 hrs and last for 12 hours on each of the three days. Unionists are also expected to begin an "open sit-in," and have urged students to boycott Egypt's upcoming parliamentary elections.