Egypt’s bread crisis

President Mubarak proposed a 30% pay raise for civil servants today. the government promised an increase, but this one was larger than expected. The government has been under mounting pressure to do something to relieve the food crisis. There’s been a wave of strikes across the country over the issue. This food worker says workers were promised a raise after their strike, and he says he’s worried the raise won’t be enough. This local politician in that town echoed the workers’ complaints. President Mubarak hopes his announcement will temper the widespread discontent in the country and the government may also be hoping to divert plans for a nationwide strike. The raise will help millions of civil servants, but not those in the private sector and it may not end the anger of many Egyptians struggling to feed their families.