Drivers finally suspend planned strike action

They took the decision on July 10, after talks with the Minister of Labour and Social Security.

After consultation and a heated but fruitful debate between the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona and 14 representatives of National Transport Trade Unions of bike riders, taxis, tricycles, cars, heavy-duty vehicles and other road users yesterday, July 10, in Yaounde, the trade union heads unanimously accepted to suspend an envisaged strike action that was initially programmed to start on Monday July 14 throughout the country.

In a decision signed by all the representatives of the transport trade unions, they also agreed to work alongside the government to put in place a mechanism to cleanse the transport sector.

The first evaluation of their work will be done within two months at most.

Prior to the meeting, transport operators had written to the Minister of Labour and Social Security last July 1, announcing a general strike action because of the recent fuel price increase at filling stations and what they described as excess abuses and violations of texts by council authorities as well as sub-divisional officers, and also the numerous check points by forces of law and order particularly by gendarmes and police officers.

The trade unionists also denounced the government’s decision to increase fuel prices and cooking gas because as they put it, the decision was taken unilaterally without prior consultation or negotiations with them.

Consequently, the trade unions representatives wanted the government to reconsider the old prices at filling stations, council authorities should stop creating havoc in cities through heavy sums of money they usually ask from transporters as well as calling on motorised gendarmes escorts to respect the rules and regulations in force.

After examining the complaints of the trade unions, the Minister reiterated government’s commitment to apply measures taken by the Head of State through the July 7 decree to cushion the effects of the fuel price increase.

In the same, the Minister of Transport, Robert Nkili, on Wednesday chaired a meeting with different trade unions and socio-professional organisations of the transport sector during which the trade union leaders came up with other proposals.