Labour Advisory Board discusses election of staff reps

The 18th meeting of the National Labour Advisory Board was held in Yaounde on October 21, 2015, with the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona, chairing. He called on the members to work with clarity and objectivity by proposing concrete proposals for the good of the nation.

The lone topic on the agenda was the draft document on guidelines for election of workers’ representatives. The Board met following complaints arising from the last social elections. Members were therefore discussed and gave their views on the draft guidelines for election of staff representatives.

Achu Fru Peter of the Central Trade Union of Independence of Cameroon (CSIC), said the draft document was not sent to them early enough. “Our union would like to see some corrections made in the former staff election guidelines. We would also like that another meeting be organised to thrash out outstanding labour issues,” Achu Fru Peter pointed out.

Trade union representatives at the meeting also complained that electing staff representatives in a single day was not enough. The National Labour Advisory Board is a tripartite authority provided for by the Labour Code. It is tasked with providing its views on all regulatory texts in the area of labour, employment, social security and hired hands.