Truck drivers in several governorates throughout Egypt continued their labor strike into its 19th consecutive day on Monday.
Strikers have reportedly prevented other truck drivers from crossing the picket line, going so far in some cases as to destroy their vehicles.
In Assiut, a truck carrying 35,000 liters of petrol overturned before catching fire. Its driver claimed that another truck had driven him off the road because he had refused to join the strike.
Cement sales, meanwhile, have fallen noticeably as a result of the strike, with local cement factories unable to find trucks to transport their product. ‘We may actually have to close down due to the lack of trasportation,” said Lafarge Cement Managing Director Ahmed Shibl.
Officials at processed food factories in 6 October City also say they have been unable to transport their wares to Cairo and other cities due to the ongoing strike.
Mohamed al-Sewidy, member of the High Committee for Heavy Transport, said the committee planned to meet with Tax Authority officials on 1 January to discuss truckers’ demands. Chief among these is the cancellation of a planned increase of truck licensing fees, decreed last month by the Finance Ministry.
Four MPs, meanwhile, have submitted official requests that the government extend a grace period during which truckers are required to to carry out safety upgrades to their vehicles.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
