The government has increased the national minimum wage for employees from 28.500FCFA to 36.270 FCFA, after two days of intensive negotiations between employers’ trade unions, employees’ trade unions and officials of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as well as the National Labour Advisory Board, NLAB.
The consensus was reached on Thursday, July 17 in the second day of the meeting which was chaired by Gregroire Owona, Minister of Labour and Social Security. The proposal, however, still needs to be submitted to the Prime Minister, for approval.
Owona had during the first day of discussions, suggested that the country needs two minimum wage packages: one for those in the agricultural sector; - to earn 35 270 FCFA and 50 000 FCFA for other workers in the private sector.
The demand for the increase which led to the dialogue with the government was provoked by the recent increase in fuel prices and the increase in salaries of gov’t workers and officers of the armed forces. From 1995 to 2000, the
minimum wage was 23, 000FCFA, and it has been at 28 000 FCFA from 2000 until now.
While workers were demanding an increase in the minimum wage, retired civil servants in a letter to President Biya, accused him of being partial and that it was an illegal demonstrated in the decision taken to submerge the effect of hikes in fuel prices and cooking gas.
Under the banner of the association of retired civil servants, popularly known by its French language acronym, AREFOP, they demanded that the president should increase pension for retired civil servants along with salaries of civil servants to be as they were in 1993, and that it should be by 20% not 5%. Led by the president of the association, Moise Nyemb, they requested that the minimum wage of the country should be raised to 100. 000FCFA.
A grouping of 12 umbrella transporters' syndicate also proposed among other demands that the minimum wage be increased to a figure between 100.000FCFA and 150. 000FCFA; failure of which, they will take to the streets on July 28.
