Transport Union suspends strike after meeting manpower minister

The Independent Union for Public Transportation Workers suspended on Tuesday a week-long, nationwide strike following a meeting with Ministry of Manpower.

It wasn’t immediately clear what both sides had agreed on, but another meeting was scheduled for Oct. 10 to discuss further demands. The strike is suspended pending the results of Tuesday’s and Oct. 10’s meetings.

The strike, which featured the participation of thousands of drivers, conductors and technicians at the Cairo Transport Authority (CTA), gained momentum when drivers and conductors at the Greater Cairo Company, also run by the CTA, joined on Monday.

By press time on Tuesday, the number of the garages that would abide by the Union’s decision wasn’t clear, according to lawyer Haytham Mohamadein. Two garages in the Nasr City district announced the suspension of the strike.

This meeting comes two days after Prime Minister Essam Sharaf promised to solve their problems within hours. Minister of Manpower Hassan El-Borai had said on Monday he won’t negotiate unless the strike is suspended.

In Tuesday’s meeting he union representatives that the 200 percent incentives, promised to all public sector workers, would be delivered within 10 days. The finance ministry is to take care of the details, he reportedly said.

The rest of the demands are to be discussed on Oct. 10.

"I will remain on strike until an official paper from the Prime Minister’s office is distributed to all garages stating that the Independent Union for Transportation Workers has agreed with the minister on a timeline for implementing our demands," said Sherif Salah, a driver at El Mounib garage in Giza.

He added that not all striking drivers and conductors have delegated the union to discuss their demands with the minister, yet they will abide by the agreement.