Cameroon urgently needs Social Security reforms – Trade Unionist

A renowned trade unionist, Jean-Marie Zambo Amougou, President of the Confederation of Workers’ Trade Union of Cameroon (CSTC) has stated that, if urgent social security reforms are engaged, it could resolve many problems workers are facing in the country.

He made the statement in an exclusive interview with The Post in Yaounde during the week in the build up to the forthcoming International Labour Day commemoration on May 1. Zambo also expounded on the state of respect of labour rights in Cameroon, persistent complaints received from workers, maltreatment of retirees, exploitation of children as child labourers, contributions by companies to support the activities of trade unions, and much more.

Excerpts: Q: Mr. Amougou Zambo, you are a seasoned trade unionist. Cameroonians are looking up to the International Labour Day come May 1. Will the trade unions be celebrating or merely commemorating the day in Cameroon?

A: On May 1, we shall observe the 129th edition of the International Labour Day in Cameroon. We think that since it is the Labour Day, all interested stakeholders should be involved in the organisation. But what we are observing is that Government is trying to do it all alone, thereby disregarding the law on freedom of association. We think that, this is a serious mistake that Government must correct before May 1, for us to see the event managed in a manner we consider as democratic.

Q: So, is there anything you are celebrating this time around?

A: Commemorating or celebrating depends on how one looks at it. The International Labour Day was instituted in the last century, following the massacre of workers in Chicago, USA in 1886, who were protesting for better working conditions.

So, we can commemorate in recognition of what they did to improve the situation of workers around the world. The labour force is positively transforming the world and on that score, we can celebrate. The International Labour Day is an occasion to give value to the workforce which does not only concern the trade unions but all of us, because of the role they are playing in the improvement of quality of life of humanity.

Q: We are in Cameroon. How would you rate the respect of labour rights in the country?

A: As far as the respect of rights of workers is concerned, we must accept that Cameroon has made some improvements. On a scale of one to six for example, Cameroon can be classified in the second group in the world. That means all is not perfect but more action has been undertaken to encourage decent conditions of work. No trade union leader is in jail because of the position they take during industrial actions to press for better working conditions.

Q: What are the rights that you are still pushing on for Cameroonian workers to have? There is still a glaring maltreatment of employees by their employers in Cameroon. Which are the complaints that you receive persistently from the workers?

A: We have a very weak social security system. There is a very high tax rate, very low salary, no motivation to work and produce more and so on. At the macro economic level, Cameroon is in the second group but when you get into the details, you will discover that about 80 percent of Cameroonians are jobless. If you assess the situation of those with jobs, you will see that about 70 percent of them don’t have good salaries.

So, we think that not all the conditions for us to have decent work in Cameroon are being put together. We have a certain level of peace and social dialogue but all these should be able to give a strong quest for decent work in Cameroon.

Q: The theme of the day in Cameroon is “Building Cameroon’s Future in Peace, Solidarity and Decent Work.” What do you make of this theme following the current happenings in the country?

A: You know that Cameroon is presently combating Boko Haram at the war front. So, we should bear in mind that this is a very serious issue because the war is killing work. If you can go to the Far North Region, you will discover that for hundreds of kilometres, you will not see people working.

The prices of food items have virtually doubled. So, we think that Cameroon must be built in peace, reason why we are joining all the compatriots to promote this important element in all development endeavours.

You will agree that Cameroonians have and are demonstrating a lot of solidarity through their contributions in support of the defence and security forces at the war front. It is a good thing that the President of the Republic is taking measures to ensure that the contributions are properly managed.

When it came to that, we did not learn any lessons from the West on solidarity. But the authorities must not take that solidarity for granted. They have to work hard to strengthen it from north to south and west to east of the country by portraying transparency.

Decent work is fostered by the International Labour Organisation and they are working every day to ensure that it is promoted across the world. It entails good laws, good work conventions, good social security, good salaries, etc.

When you talk of social security, what comes to mind is this situation where civil servants work for over 30 years, retire and chase files for long, before getting their benefits with some of them dying in the process. The trade unions are virtually silent on this.

No! We are not silent about it. You know a national commission on social dialogue was set up and in that commission, we have been insisting that the National Social Insurance Fund should double what is paid to workers at retirement and what is paid as social benefits to children.

But the people who are currently in function are behaving as if they don’t know that one day they will also go on retirement. We have been asking Government to improve on all these and we don’t understand why the Minister of Labour and Social Security is not responding positively to that.

When transporters threatened a strike action following an increase in fuel prices, we told the Minister that if urgent far-reaching social security reforms are engaged, many problems would be resolved.

So, this is a serious issue in this country. There is no acceptable reason that some workers are going on retirement at 55 years while others are going at 60 years. It should be harmonised for everybody to retire at the age of 60 years.

Q: Another issue going on in Cameroon is child labour, where children are subjected to do all sorts of work. Why are the trade unions also seemingly silent about the situation?

A: No! Again we are not silent. In June this year, we shall have the 104th International Labour Conference. During the conference, Cameroon will appear before the Labour Court of the International Labour Organisation to explain why the country is not respecting the international convention prohibiting child labour.

You know because of Cameroon’s position in the Central African Sub-region, it is being used as a transit zone for trafficking of children to other parts of the world where they are exploited as child labourers. I think after answering to the charges, Cameroon will now understand that because of the position of the country, they need not tolerate child labour.

Q: During the preparatory meeting for the upcoming Labour Day on May 1, there was a palpable disagreement between Government and trade unions because the Minister had signed a note stating that companies should not pay for registration in order to take part in labour activities. The impression we had is that social dialogue is failing. So, what is happening?

A: Most of the time, the Government does not help the trade unions to do their job. It is common knowledge that during labour activities, enterprises contribute for trade unions to carry on such events. Such contributions are outlined in the budgetary heads of the companies.

What we are yet to understand is why the Minister is always in a haste to announce that the companies should not pay. The Minister does not understand what trade unions that are not given subventions by the state need to do for such events to succeed. The money the companies pay is not bribery or corruption but a contribution for participation.