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EGYPTIAN INDUSTRIES PARALYZED BY STRIKES
Around 200,000 Egyptian pharmacists and drivers are participating in strikes and protests, in effect paralyzing major industries throughout the country.
Privately owned pharmacists are complaining of newly imposed heavy taxes cutting into their incomes.
The pharmacists’ strike enters its third day on Wednesday and is affecting millions of Egyptians who do not have access to drugs they need and could not stock up on medicine because they were not aware a strike was pending.
The Health Ministry is instructing pharmacies in the public sector to stay open all hours of the day to meet the demand of the public.
Pharmacist unions decided on the strike after the Finance Ministry cancelled a previous government decision that gave them tax exemptions. Pharmacists say their incomes have suffered as a result and are calling on the government to reverse the cancellation.
Some believe the government decision was a punitive measure because pharmacies in Egypt collected money for Gazans during Israel’s recent military operation there, according to bloggers.
In addition, some 60,000 truck drivers are also striking and in some cases blocking off roads to protest a decision of the Transport Ministry to ban long trucks. The government says they have been the cause of thousands of traffic accidents, according to a report in the London-based Al-Quds Al-‘Arabi.
The government wants all trucks to become single-unit trailers rather than have multiple trailers in order to prevent accidents in the future.
The truck drivers’ association said the decision has basically dealt a deathblow to 120,000 families that depend on the industry.
The strikes are practically paralyzing Egyptian markets, especially since the drivers’ strike is stopping cargo from reaching the ports.
Work at several factories has come to a halt because there are no trucks to transfer key materials such as iron and cement from the warehouses to the relevant areas.
Prices of these basic commodities have risen as a result.
Security forces, which have been put on high alert, have intervened in the matter, and some 50 drivers have been arrested for illegal gatherings and damaging property and cars.
Security forces have forced hundreds of drivers to break the strike and transfer iron and cement to several projects under construction.
This is the latest in a spate of unrest sweeping Egypt.
Last April, disgruntled textile workers staged protests in the northern town Al-Mahalla Al-Kubra, expressing anger at low wages and the rising prices of basic commodities.
Egyptians are already suffering as a result of the economic crisis and food shortages, which have caused protests and violence in bread lines.
The government in Cairo is trying to restructure the taxation system in order to control the budget deficit.
By The Media Line Staff on Wednesday, February 18, 2009
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