Crystal Asfour workers\' sit-in enters ninth day, some start hunger strike

Crystal Asfour workers maintained Tuesday their strike for the ninth straight day outside the company premises in Shubra el-Kheima. The workers are call for improving their financial conditions and protest the sacking of a number of their colleagues. A number of workers started a hunger strike until their demands are met. The company's spokesman for workers Mohamed Abdel-Monsef said Manpower Minister Kamal Abu-Eita met with representatives for striking workers and promised to negotiate with the company's Board Chairman Walid Asfour to meet some of their demands, especially raising their salaries, ditching unfair sacking policy and improving workers' health care. Abdel-Monsef noted that workers will maintain their strike until catering for their demands.