Trade unions, CSOs demand Cameroonians boycott work on Mondays
By Nukapuh P.
The conglomerate of trade unions and civil society organizations, CSOs in Cameroon have petitioned the Cameroon government over the 2023 finance law, enforcing an increase in the prices of consumer products.
In a press release jointly signed by representatives of some associations like the Association Camerounais des Consommateurs, ACC, Cameroon Teachers Trade Union, CATTU and others, they are calling on all the workers in Cameroon to boycott work on Mondays as from February 15, 2023.
The national social movement made up of trade unions and CSOs from the transport, education, human Rights, promotion of interest and other sectors have asked the government to increase the minimum wage from F CFA 36,270 to 150,000.
They have also challenged the government to open investigations on crimes and alleged thefts committed on CAN2021 projects and covid-19 funds reportedly embezzled by some top personalities.
They also agreed that the government of Cameroon should adopt massive recruitment of 100,000 young graduates into public service. Adding to that, family allowance should be paid to all families and not only civil servants.
The press release furthered that the government should re-evaluate family allowances and retirement pensions.
While asking the government to account for the increase on prices of consumer products, they regrettably revealed that unemployment has forced many youths in Cameroon to embrace jobs like taxi driving or bike riding among others.
In order to make their decisions firm, representatives of the trade unions and CSOs have signed on behalf of their members, asking Cameroonians in both public and private sectors to boycott working on Mondays, adding that the boycott will start from February 15 if the government doesn’t react.
“Until the requirements formulated above are satisfied and in the case where no satisfactory discussions are initiated on this subject with the actors involved, the conglomerate of trade unions and civil society organizations calls on all the workers of private and public sectors to observe a work stoppage every Monday of the week from February 15 till March 15, 2023,” a section of the press release reads.
This comes after the government of Cameroon through the Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s office signed a press release on January 31, 2023 announcing an increase in the prices of fuel all over the country.
