West Region: Workers express dissatisfaction with conditions, low salaries
By Stephen TADAHA
Workers in the Bamboutos Division expressed their wish to see the labor code revised and negotiations of collective conventions in all sectors as they continue to suffer at the hands of their employers.
On May Day, they said the non-perception of the minimum wage of XAF 41,875 per month as recently instructed by the government, abusive dismissals, poor working conditions, and no social protection, are the major issues affecting them.
The workers’ trade union representatives in Mbouda, the chief town of the Bamboutos on Wednesday, tabled their plights on May 1 during the celebration of the 138th Labor Day under the theme “Constructive dialogue: factor in promoting decent work and social progress”
The economic hardship rocking the country with the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products has also made their lives difficult as they can barely feed their families.
“I cannot say I’m feeling fine as a worker because we don’t perceive the salary prescribed by the government. I have children in school and can’t fulfill my family duties, especially at this time when fuel prices have exploded. I just celebrate because my employers asked us to do so” an anonymous worker told us.
Results from the latest investigation carried out by the National Institute of Statistics on poverty in Cameroon show that 10 million Cameroonians live below FCFA 800 per day.
In response to the plights of the workers, the Senior Divisional Officer for Bamboutos, David Dador Dibango called on employers to consider their workers as part of them by creating an atmosphere fit for work so that the economy as a whole might benefit from both parties.
