May Day Celebration: Absence of Social Dialogue Impedes Descent Work
Trade Unionists in Cameroon have all agreed that recent strike action undertaken by workers in Cameroon is because employers don’t give the chance for social dialogue to prevail.
Retirement benefits in Cameroon are being delayed and beneficiaries on daily basis have to organize strike action before their plights are heard, salary arrears, poor working conditions, arbitrary dismissal, intimidation among others are being carried out on workers everyday of their lives. According to union leaders these issues can only be resolved if there is frank social dialogue between the two parties.
In Douala Littoral governor Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua called on employers to respect rights of their employees in respect with international conventions signed by Cameroon. The governor said if this is done, the series of social unrest in his region will be buried.
At the Bamenda Commercial Avenue, North West region, trade unionists say due to the social unrest in the region, economic crisis looms in the region, Forbin Neba, President of Mezam chapter of UGTC says there is general uncertainty. He called on authorities of the region to transmit the realities in truth to hierarchy.
However in Bamenda, there were empty seats at the Stand, few turn out, businesses closed as locals observed ghost town.
In Limbe tracks calling on boycott of May Day celebrations were simply ignored as tens gathered at the Limbe Grand Stand to commemorate the day with activities chaired by Fako SDO, Zang Trois.