More than 600 workers at Tanta railway station in the Gharbiya Governorate have entered their second day of protests. They demand that their bonuses be equal to those of their colleagues who work on long-distance rail transit.
After a similar demonstration yesterday, the workers gathered at 10 am Wednesday, blocking railroad traffic and engaging in fights with angry passengers.
They said they made the move after futile negotiations with officials.
Police and workers also scuffled when the latter refused to end their sit-in. Trains attempting to enter the station were forced to stop as protesters hurled stones.
Some passengers complained, saying they had to resume their journeys by bus to reach their workplaces in other governorates.
A delegation from the Gharbiya Governorate office, accompanied by army and police forces, was dispatched to negotiate with the workers and convince them to open the railroad.
Meanwhile, train conductors at Mansoura station in Daqahlia Governorate staged a strike demanding bonuses equal to those of technicians and other workers. The strike brought Mansoura's rail traffic to a halt.
The conductors declined to leave the station until their demands were met, which left many passengers stranded.
In a bid to calm the situation, the station’s board instructed employees to allow passengers to return their tickets.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
